Difference
by Lady LolaBert
Summary: A fluffy DracoHermione romance set in an AU where the events of books 5 and 6 did not occur. Draco and Hermione must work together on a school project where ultimately sparks fly.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Hello! This is me fulfilling a long lived dream of mine which is to – write a Draco/Hermione romance epic. This storyline has been done over many a time before – Draco falls in love with Hermione, yada yada yada – I know I'm not offering anything original here – this is purely here for my own pleasure and any of those people out there who enjoy fluffy romances that make you all gooey inside – I know I'm one of those people. So get comfortable and enjoy!

**A/N2: **This is in the kids's 7th year and for my own purposes, people who are DEAD or EVIL (ahem, Snape) in the books (R.I.P. Dumbledore sniff) are ALIVE or NOT EVIL in this one, because it's MY story and I can do whatever I want.

**Disclaimer: **J.K. Rowling owns all of Harry Potter and his good chums. I'm not making any money out of this.

**Disclaimer 2: **I was very much inspired by **aleximoon**'s fic "Their Room" that I actually stole a lot of her ideas and re-warped them, somewhat, into my own fic. I hope this does not count as plagiarism, as I truly loved aleximoon's story and will now tell everyone to go and read her fic now!!! Because it's a hundred times better than anything I will ever write.

Hermione took her luscious surroundings in with sheer delight.

"Oh this is wonderful" she said breathlessly.

The room in front of her was all old world elegance. Wood panelled walls reflected the flickering flames of the roaring fireplace, ornately framed, to her right. Bookshelves made of, what Hermione could only guess was a very expensive material, lined the walls, stacked with gilt inlaid books. The room was occupied by a rich, dark red couch, two armchairs and a worktable at the corner for two. But what was facing her directly was the main thing that took her breath away. It was a giant set of glass doors that lead to a stone balcony, bathed in moonlight, overlooking the Lake beyond. A gorgeous sight, she tentatively stepped into the room, feeling horribly self-conscious at the sheer wealth of the surroundings.

"Move it Granger, or am I going to have to wait until next month before you stop gawping?"

Startled out of her awe, she turned sharply around at the contemptuous voice behind her.

"So sorry Malfoy, didn't realise you were oh-so-patiently waiting there" she snapped back before moving away and giving him enough room to enter. Draco Malfoy strode in without even taking a second glance at the surroundings that had so awed Hermione. He looked perfectly at home there, Hermione thought, as he sauntered lazily to the nearest couch and collapsed onto it. Heaving a large sigh as if this small activity in itself cost him a huge effort, he looked pointedly at Hermione and waited for her to speak. He was baiting her, she knew it. Hermione didn't rise to it and instead turned away, barely containing the urge to roll her eyes. She missed his amused smirk as she turned.

"So this is it isn't it?" Hermione thought to herself as she walked towards the pile of trunks stacked neatly at one corner of the room. These trunks contained ancient scrolls recently found on the Hogwarts grounds, discovered by none other than Hagrid, while he was digging at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Hermione's mind wandered back to earlier that day at Dumbledore's office…

Hermione stood politely puzzled in front of the smiling Dumbledore, seated serenely, as always, behind his desk.

"Miss Granger and Mr Malfoy, I am sure that you are both curious as to why I have asked you to come into my office. I assure you" he laughed at Malfoy's narrowed glance "that neither of you are in any trouble. I have actually asked you two here for a favour."

This was definitely not what Hermione was expecting. "Sir?" she asked, confused.

"You see, only this morning, eight large trunks were discovered by Professor Hagrid, buried on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Now after making sure that these trunks weren't affected by any, ah, nasty curses that would come into effect upon the opener of the trunks, we managed to open them to find a collection of scrolls. Ancient by the look of them. I have no knowledge of these scrolls or what they pertain to. And this is where you two come in."

Excitement started to bubble up inside of Hermione, as she was starting to get an idea of what she and Malfoy would have to do. She looked over at Malfoy across from her to find his expression slack as he watched Dumbledore, as if this was intruding upon his precious time. Hermione turned back as Dumbledore began to speak again.

"You two are the top Study of Ancient Runes students and Professor Lanselius is much too busy to undertake this project all by herself and will need a lot of help. And while I know that this is your Seventh Year and no doubt you two will have a lot of work to do besides this, I would not have asked if I didn't know that you were more than capable of the task."

Hermione breathed in "Sir, in what form are these Runes in?" Dumbledore smiled. "You should probably ask Professor Lanselius this as I am not too sure of the details myself. But I want to impress this upon you, both of you, that you will not be required to do this at all. Although if you do undertake this project, you will no doubt be rewarded at the end of the year, at the Graduation Ceremony with "Special Services to the School Awards."

At this, Malfoy's bored face lit up as he paid more interest to Dumbledore, a fact that Dumbledore was not blind to.

"So I ask you, will you two do this?"

Hermione came back from her reverie and reached into the open trunks to touch delicately at the fragile vellum. There was no hard decision to be made that morning at Dumbledore's office. The chance to find out first hand about an ancient, unknown text? It was too good to refuse. And while it was sheer curiosity and the love of discovery that motivated Hermione to accept Dumbledore's offer, she had no idea what drove Malfoy.

"Careful there Granger, we wouldn't want your filthy Mudblood hands damaging the precious texts" his voice sounded from across the room maliciously.

Hermione stood up and whirled around to face him angrily.

"How dare you" she said in a low, deadly whisper. Malfoy's back was towards her as he lounged on the couch. Wanting to face him, she strode towards him. His bored and smug face looked at the sight before him of a Hermione in a towering rage. He didn't flinch as Hermione said "We have to work together for the next – goodness knows how long – and you begin by treating me like that? Who the hell do you think you are, thinking yourself so superior to everybody else? Grow up Malfoy. Grow up or get away from me" she stormed.

Malfoy gave her a moment to settle down after this. "Get away from you? How can I? We're stuck with each other for the next 'goodness knows how long' so get used to it Granger" he said calmly.

There was no way that Hermione was going to put up with this.

"I am not going to have you verbally abusing me each time we meet" she nearly shrieked, but suddenly stopped, tired at the emotion coursing through her.

"Look, we can't do this. We can't be at each other's throats all the time. If we're both going to get through this with our sanity intact, we have to at least try to be somewhat civil towards one another" At the offering of this proverbial olive branch, Malfoy stood up without ever breaking his eye contact with Hermione and walked past her towards the door.

"Suit yourself" he threw back at her over his shoulder as he left.

**So what do you think for an opener? Flames, constructive criticisms, praises for my awesome-ness (yeah right) are all welcome. Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **This is very much what I would call an "Alternate Universe" fic where some things that happen in the book are acknowledged here, while some others, are not and are omitted. If it helps, I'm sort of setting this after "Goblet of Fire" and therefore none of the events that happen in OotP and HBP are referred to in here.

The next morning, Hermione left the Common Room for breakfast with Ron and Harry.

"So there are these scrolls that Dumbledore wants me to, I don't know, translate, I guess. Because right now, they're all in the form of some ancient set of Runes that look oddly familiar, and yet, I just can't place them" she explained, trailing off into her own thoughts at the end.

"But you have to do it with Malfoy right? I mean you actually have to spend time alone with that git?" Ron asked worriedly.

"Yes, I know. He is… unpleasant, but I guess I'll just have to handle it myself. In one way or another" Hermione replied with a mischievous tone in her voice.

The three of them laughed at this inevitable scenario but stopped when Harry said very soberly. "Look Hermione, if he ever… does anything, you know that you can count on Ron and I to, you know, sort things out with that idiot."

Hermione laughed at this and said that if she'd ever want her friends expelled for giving a low life ferret what was coming to him, she'd be sure to let them know.

That day could not have passed any slower for Hermione, who was itching to go back to the room that was assigned to her and Malfoy above the Library, to translate the scrolls. What language was it in? When were they written? Who had written them? Her mind was in a flurry of questions that she hardly paid any attention to her classes, a definite and dangerous first for Hermione.

That night, she gulped her dinner down as fast as she could, drawing worried, if not amused glances from those around her. It was not uncommon to see Hermione cutting back on time-wasting things such as eating, to get to more important matters such as homework. There was a lot of truth in this, Hermione thought as she ran through the halls up to the Library, but she also wanted to get as much work done before Malfoy came up to join her. If he ever would come, that was.

As she got to the large oak door and inserted her specially issued key into it, Hermione took a moment to regain her breath. Upon opening the door, however, she was surprised to see Malfoy already there. And already working on one of the scrolls no less! Malfoy looked up as she walked in and nodded at her in way of greeting.

"Well, this is an improvement" Hermione thought. "At least he didn't make any snide remark."

She walked over to the worktable they were given to use, with scrolls littering Malfoy's end of the table. Placing her bag on her chair, she walked over to see what he was doing.

"So what have you found?"

Malfoy continued to write, but answered her neutrally enough. "This Scroll seems to be the key to the whole thing. If I can make some sense of this, it'll make translating the rest pretty easy. Unfortunately, this is the hardest part and it'll take the most time - the rest should be a breeze." He said this with very little spite or condescension on his part, yet Hermione had to bite back an annoyed groan. This was of course, all obvious to her, but she was not going to point out that he shouldn't treat her as if she was five years old, not while he was remaining so… pleasant. Enough.

Malfoy finally stopped writing to look up at her, his face expressionless. "I'm now applying the Carthaki Method to see if that will give us anything because, I'm guessing by the designs on the edges of the scrolls that these were made during the Balthrage Era, when this Method was most commonly used."

Surprised at, not his knowledge, but rather his malice-less tone, Hermione wordlessly took his proffered scroll.

"I've transcribed the Key Scroll for you so that you can do whatever you want with it. I think we should inform each other of what we find, or even suspect and record it down. You know, just to make things more efficient." And with that business-like dismiss, Malfoy turned back to his work. Hermione took her transcribed scroll to her end of the table and sat down, eyeing the person across from her. Who was he? Surely Malfoy would want to take all the credit himself instead of wanting to co-operate, willingly, with someone like her? Someone that he had deemed, only last night, to be a worthless Mudblood. Nevertheless, she gazed down at the scrolls around her and noticed that he was right. The designs decorating the borders were most definitely Balthrage in design. He wasn't lying, or trying to mislead her. Opening up her bag to take out her quill, some ink and some spare parchment, Hermione began to immerse herself into the world of Ancient Runes.

**What, no reviews? I am most disappointed :(**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** 'Rambaldi' belongs to J.J. Abrams. Haha, I'm so sorry, I really couldn't resist!

The weeks passed well enough between Hermione and Malfoy without any more nasty incidents, as Hermione soon discovered that they worked well together. They talked only when they needed to and discussed their findings amiably enough. Everything about the next few weeks was professional and almost cold, somewhat like Malfoy himself. Hermione did not waste her time contemplating the drastic change from arrogant snob to quiet partner though. She was just grateful that he wasn't taunting her with immature remarks anymore.

However, while the two co-operated with each other, it cannot be said that the ancient texts did the same with them. The Key Scroll stubbornly refused to be translated and almost seemed to be mocking them with its own difficult-to-decipher knowledge. Hermione and Malfoy applied all the Methods to the text that they learnt in class, even the more obvious ones, before turning to the less obvious ones found in the darker depths of the Library.

On one of these days, Hermione was to be found searching for a volume she knew she had read in her early years that described a form of ciphering text used by a prophet who lived some six hundred years ago. Apparently, this prophet was the chief architect for Pope Alexander XI and who was later excommunicated for heresy.

"But not before he devised this Method" muttered Hermione as she peered into the dark gloom of the cavernous Library shelves, using her wand to illuminate the bindings of the books.

"Let's see, Stuber, Sutton, ah, here it is - Rambaldi" whispered Hermione to herself as she finally found the tome she was looking for. Unfortunately, it was rather high up on the shelf, far out of her reach. She looked around for a stool and when she couldn't find one, decided to use the _Accio _charm; and despite the fact that it was a rather heavy and large book, she decided to risk it anyway. As she was about to pull out her wand, a hand from her left shot out and grabbed the book for her. Startled, Hermione turned to see who had reached the book for her, about to thank whoever it was, but stopped when she saw _who_ it was.

"Malfoy!" came the stunned gasp. "Um, thankyou" she muttered quickly.

Malfoy held the book out for her and without a word, pushed it into Hermione's stunned hands and walked away, acknowledging her with a slight nod of his head. Hermione turned and watched as he walked up the stairs to the workroom that overlooked the Library. She stood rooted to the spot, confused at this sudden act of kindness. Sure, Malfoy hadn't been his usual annoying self of late, but he sure drew the line at doing other people favours out of the kindness of his heart.

"If he has a heart." Hermione wondered how anyone so cold and expressionless could even possess such a thing. Her ponderings took her slowly up the stairs to the workroom where Malfoy was already hard at work - at something. As she opened the door, she noticed him in a sudden flurry of activity, as if he was quickly hiding away whatever he was working on. Hermione stared at him curiously as she slowly closed the door.

"It's none of your business Granger, so stop staring at me, looking as if you'll get an answer from me" he suddenly snapped harshly. Hermione, taken aback at this, remained silent as she took her book and walked over to the table.

"Sorry" said Malfoy quietly as he sat back on his chair and sighed loudly, "I didn't mean to snap at you like that, it was out of line."

Puzzled and confused as ever, Hermione was almost speechless. Was this Malfoy, THE Draco Malfoy actually apologising to her as if it wasn't a big deal?

"It's nothing. You're right, it was none of my business" was all she could utter in a surprised reply as she sat down. Malfoy watched her steadily and nodded silently at this, but Hermione could feel his gaze lingering on her as she bent her head over the blasted scrolls. This was all too strange, but as intriguing a subject this was to her, she put it out of her mind and continued to work.

Hours later saw them both tired with Rambaldi proving to be fruitless. His Method did not work and Hermione was getting frustrated. The Runes did look familiar and not unworldly, but nothing that neither she nor Malfoy did to them managed to make their meanings any clearer. Hermione felt that the answer to it must be very simple and that the solution would not be gained by anything fancy. Simple elegance indeed, it was often the most rudimentary Methods that stumbled the more erudite of minds. Taking a deep breath, Hermione threw her quill down onto the table and leaned back to stretch her arms up before yawning a jaw-breaking yawn. Rubbing her eyes tiredly, she found that Malfoy had also stopped and was looking at her.

"No good?" he asked.

"Not a single thing. This is ridiculous, it really is. We've been working on this for weeks and we have gotten nowhere!"

"That's not true. Look we know that all of the Methods that we have tried _don't _work so the solution must be – "

"One of the countless millions that are out there that we haven't tried" interrupted Hermione. It wasn't like her to be a pessimist, but this was the first time where the answer didn't come to her easily, no matter how much effort she put in.

"Look, I'm going to call it a night, I'm tired and this" indicating the scroll in front of her wearily "does not want to co-operate with me tonight." Hermione started to pack her bag while Malfoy started to do the same.

"Yeah, me too. And I still have to study for that Charms Quiz tomorrow" he said just as wearily which reminded Hermione that she still had to do a few last minute revisions on that herself. Something of her thoughts must have shown on her face because Malfoy said "Not that you need to worry, you'll ace it no matter what." Hermione nearly stopped her actions as Malfoy just paid her a compliment. Nearly. He said it with such an artlessness that hid no trace of a taunt; instead he said it with something that could almost have been admiration. Hermione looked up at him and found herself staring directly into his pale blue eyes that were intently fixed upon her. She was somewhat unnerved by his intense gaze as her breath caught and felt the nerves along her back and arms tingle. Feeling her cheeks heat up, she turned away, mortified that she could possibly be _blushing, _took her bag and went to the door, before turning back and giving him an almost shy "Good night."

**Reviews? Hello? Should I continue? I know that people are reading this!**


	4. Chapter 4

Hermione found herself lying awake for hours later that night, unable to sleep and contemplating those last few moments with Malfoy again and again. She dissected, with an almost distant cruelty, each action and glance that he made and her own reactions and feelings towards this. Why had his last glance unsettled her so much? She felt as if at that moment, his eyes were looking at something more than her. Something within her, as if he was looking for something in Hermione that she had no idea she even had. His glance was piercing to say the least.

Hermione did not delude herself on any romantic notions. Sure he was attractive; any girl with a pulse at Hogwarts would acknowledge that. And already, Malfoy was garnering himself a reputation of sorts within and without the school.

"Fancies himself as something of a modern day Casanova does he?" Hermione snorted. It was true that Malfoy treated the girls that he was with as mere playthings, and yet most girls would be happy to be treated like that if it meant that they could be with him, if only for a few sordid hours. But Hermione was not one of those girls.

"It must be his arrogance, his confidence that girls are attracted to" Hermione reasoned to herself, at a loss at who could possibly not be repulsed by the superiority complex he obviously has. And yet the change in him, only today, was unlike anything she had ever seen from him. First the small, careless, almost insignificant favour that he rendered to her, then the guileless apology and then the compliment? Then there was that look that bothered Hermione so much. Lost in a turmoil of emotions, Hermione conceded to herself that it must be her lack of sleep and rush of hormones that prompted her reaction, as she fell asleep in the early hours of the morning.

"Hey, what did you two get on that question about the Floating Charm? I said that it was due to the difference between the mass of the object and the upward force of the water that caused it to react that way. But then Parvati said that it was due to the difference between the downward force of gravity, not the mass of the object, and now I'm scared that I might be wrong" Hermione was found to be complaining anxiously later on that afternoon to Ron and Harry.

"First of all, you're Hermione and your knowledge pretty much trumps anyone's in the class, especially Parvati's. And secondly, even if you got that wrong, it was only worth, what, half a mark?" Ron asked Harry exasperatedly who nodded in weary amusement. "So you have nothing to worry about."

"Oh yes, but -" Hermione continued to fret.

"But nothing Hermione!" Ron interjected with some annoyance which caused Hermione to continue fretting in silence.

Throughout dinner, Hermione continued to ambush anyone who would listen about the Charms Quiz of the day.

Finally, during dessert, Hermione abated all discussion of the earlier Quiz which Harry and Ron decided to reward her with their conversation again.

"So Hermione, going to help us out with that Potions essay tonight eh?" Ron asked roguishly with a small wink. Unfortunately, this did nothing to soften Hermione up or lessen her next tirade.

"Honestly, Ron, we're supposed to have finished that for tomorrow, don't tell me you haven't started it yet?"

"Yes, I have but, Quidditch – " Ron tried to explain incoherently.

"But nothing Ron!" Hermione echoed his earlier words. "I've already finished it and will be off working on Professor Lanselius's scrolls tonight."

"Oh yes, I forgot, back to your _precious_ scrolls, working with your _precious_ Malfoy. Just exactly what do girls see in that little ferret anyway?" Ron argued angrily.

This seemed to have touched a nerve with Hermione who went deathly silent before her shaking hands quickly packed her things away. She gave Ron a hateful stare before running off abruptly with tear-filled eyes.

"Okay, things were going so nice and friendly between you two for once. And then you had to go and open your big mouth" Harry said exasperatedly.

Ron sat there at a loss for words.

"What was that?! She spends almost every night in the Library with that little creep."

"So? Hermione and more homework, it's like a match made in heaven for her. What's getting you so worked up?" asked Harry with concern.

"Well, the fact that she and Malfoy have been working together for months and neither of them have been cursed into an oblivion for a start" Ron explained angrily.

"Yes" said Harry slowly as if explaining something to a small child, "and that is a _good_ thing."

"I don't know, something just doesn't seem right" wondered Ron.

Harry could only shake his head, bemused at how two of his best friends could spend most of their time at each others' throats.

Impatiently brushing her tears away, Hermione made for the Library, forcing the oncoming ones down with a massive force of will. She had no idea what had made her overreact in such a way. Really, if she went back to the conversation, Ron hadn't said anything as horrible as he usually did. Perhaps she was tired and that was why she was so on edge tonight. And after the stressful quiz and getting nowhere with the Scrolls, who could blame her for her emotional outburst? In any case, she would go and apologise to the boys tonight. Feeling better already and almost a little embarrassed, a wicked thought decided to surface its ugly head at that moment.

"_What if Ron was just a little too close to the mark? Maybe you do enjoy working with Malfoy alone into the late hours of the night."_

"Rubbish" came the rational part of Hermione's mind. "I just like discovering the wonders of ancient texts. Can't you just leave it at that?"

"_Perhaps. Although Ron's earlier statement _would _explain what you felt last night"_

Hermione's rationality had no reply to this as she was already in the room and Malfoy was already working there as usual. "Honestly, does he ever eat dinner if he can get here so early?" Hermione wondered to herself. This time, however, instead of making straight for her chair, Hermione stumbled over to the couch and lay onto it, rubbing the tiredness from her eyes.

"Tired?" came the curious inquiry from Malfoy.

"You could say that" Hermione said before yawning.

"Late night studying?"

At this, Hermione was glad that she was lying on the couch and therefore not facing Malfoy for her face had reddened quite obviously.

"Something like that" came the mumbled reply.

"Not that it mattered I'm sure. I knew you'd ace it anyway." Malfoy said lightly.

"And how exactly would you know that Mr Malfoy?" asked Hermione mock-indignantly. Hermione rose up to kneel on the couch and face Malfoy who had a small smirk on his face with his eyes lighting up mischievously.

"Oh yeah, like you didn't check for the answers during dinner in the textbooks" teased Malfoy.

Stumped for a reply to this, for it was true that she had been sneaking glances at _The Standard Book of Spells Grade Seven_, during the roast beef, Hermione looked away in playful outrage. But looking back at Malfoy made her heart beat faster, in as may hours, as what was unmistakably lighting up his face was none other than a smile. A true, genuine smile of laughter and joy – not a sneer, or a smirk or a malicious grin. His joy was infectious as Hermione could only laugh and smile at him in return. It was strange, the way his features changed so drastically when lighted up like that. It was as if every horrible thought of envy, malice and cruelty was stripped away to be replaced by something carefree and happy. Hermione found herself wondering at this, but then his face changed abruptly back into the distant and sombre expression it now mainly partook in when in this room.

"I made Malfoy smile" wondered Hermione as she stood up and made her way to the worktable. "This is either going to be very interesting or disturbing."


	5. Chapter 5

"So how is your work going with Malfoy anyway?" Ron asked Hermione gently. The reason for his unusual courtesy on this subject was due to the fact that he and Hermione had only just made up. Early that morning, Hermione had apologised to Ron - who took it rather humbly, much to Harry's relief - and was now trying to make conversation.

"Slow. It doesn't feel as if we're getting anywhere. All we're doing is elimination – figuring out what _doesn't_ work" Hermione said while the three were waiting outside the Potions Dungeons for class to begin.

"You know that's not what we mean" said Harry quietly as a group of Slytherins, led by none other than Malfoy himself, came into view.

"If you mean about Malfoy and myself – it's a small miracle really. We haven't argued or anything. We've just been… professional with one another. We're not, you know, best friends, but then again, we're not spending every moment trying to hex one another."

"Wouldn't put it past him to sneak in a few while you're not looking" Ron muttered which caused the three of them to stifle their laughter as Snape opened the door and beckoned his class in.

Crabbe and Goyle, brutish thugs as they were, pushed to the front to where Harry, Ron and Hermione were.

"Argh!" wailed Hermione when Crabbe stepped on her foot.

"Watch it!" Ron said loudly and got ready to pull out his wand in the defence of his friend, just as Malfoy got to them.

"Really Crabbe, this has got to be the first time that you're actually so eager to get to class. If I didn't know better, I'd say that you actually grew some brains over night, but judging by your oafish manner today, I'd say not" Malfoy said scathingly before telling Ron to "Stow it away Weasley, there's not much point to it."

Fuming, Ron looked as if was about to pummel Malfoy within an inch of his life, but was luckily held back by Harry. Just as Malfoy passed Hermione at the door, he gave her the smallest nod of acknowledgement which Hermione returned with a tiny smile.

"Odd" she thought as she walked into class. "He could have done a lot worse, but chose to insult one of his cronies instead. Very odd indeed."

It was after dinner and Hermione and Malfoy were to be found, as usual, up in their workroom above the library.

The hours ticked by silently when Hermione voiced something that had been sitting uncomfortably on her mind for the last couple of days.

"Malfoy" she said, who looked up from his work enquiringly.

"Suppose that this is all, well, pointless" she said hesitatingly.

A confused look came onto Malfoy's face. "What do you mean?"

Hermione took a deep breath before continuing. "Suppose, that what we're doing, what we've been working on, is all, well, pointless. Like these scrolls have nothing important in them and that all our hard work and effort will be wasted. What if this is all somebody's idea of a practical joke, buried by someone with a sick sense of humour a couple hundred years ago? And that both of us are going to walk away from this with a lot of, well, heartache?" she finished somewhat lamely.

Malfoy stared directly into her eyes and Hermione thought that she detected a small flinch at her last words. Nevertheless, he took a moment to consider what she had just said and Hermione could see that he chose his next words carefully.

"I've also been thinking along those lines. But sick joke or not, I don't think either of us will rest until we find out exactly either way – no matter how much it costs us."

His tone and delivery confused Hermione slightly with its graveness. There was something there that Malfoy was, perhaps subconsciously, hinting towards that Hermione couldn't fathom. But it was true, what he said. He knew that Hermione would only double her efforts if some obstacle was in the way of her goal. And knowing that Malfoy was of the same mind, she felt assured that there was someone with her going through the same frustrations and stress as she was.

Nodding silently in agreement, Hermione bent her head back down and began to work again. A half hour passed by and Hermione just couldn't take it anymore. Throwing down the scroll angrily, she heaved an explosive sigh.

"This is ridiculous, it really is. If I didn't know better, I'd say that this is some sort of experiment on us to see how long we can go on a wild goose chase before giving up" Hermione said tiredly. However, tired as she was, Hermione was shocked instantly out of her depression when Malfoy laughed. Not a derisive chuckle or a cruel sneer, but actual genuine laughter.

"I must be going insane, because I have to actually agree with you" he said jokingly, earning him a disapproving stare from Hermione.

"I've had enough of this, I really have. We are no closer than we were when we started this. And I know - " Hermione said quickly as Malfoy opened his mouth to interrupt. "That this Key Scroll is the only way to unlock the rest. But I need a break from all of this." And with that, instead of packing her things away, she leant down to her bag to get some more books out of it.

"You're kidding right Granger? Your idea of a break is more work?" Malfoy said incredulously as Hermione pulled out book after book out of her bag, creating a rather large pile on the desk. "If I didn't know better, I'd say that you brought the rest of the Library up here with you!" he bantered.

Hermione glared at him in response.

"Yes, it is more homework. But I'm kind of in the mood for Arithmancy at the moment. Nothing better than solving complex equations to get your mind away from ancient runes yes?" she laughingly replied.

Malfoy could only smirk in return.

"You know what Granger? I'm going to take your lead and catch up on some of my own Arithmancy homework. Just don't expect me to help you or anything, no matter how much you want it" he teased.

"I'm sure I'll be able to restrain myself Malfoy" she said distractedly, already absorbed in her work.


	6. Chapter 6

An uneventful lunch time found Hermione sitting by herself at the Great Hall, moodily picking her salad while reading a book. Ron, Harry and Ginny were all still out practicing Quidditch, explaining why Hermione was early and alone for lunch. Hermione hardly noticed what she was eating, so engrossed was she in her book -

"_Jane could hardly read the letter clearly, so tear-stained it was and what she could make out did not make much sense at all. It seemed that, not only were her relations spending an exorbitant amount of money – her money no less! – they were also in the midst of some atrocious scandal. The matters pertaining to this scandal exactly, were as unclear to William, as the letter itself was to Jane. Holding the letter up to the fire, Jane saw through the water marks in order to see the ink better…"_

This was a rare guilty pleasure Hermione sometimes indulged in – Muggle romance novels - instead of the heavy school textbooks detailing the histories of events past. But it was here that Hermione stopped everything. Could this possibly be it? Her sudden brainwave made her quickly shove the book into her bag and race out the Great Hall and up to the room above the library.

Panting heavily as she ran up the stairs, she fumbled with her key before finally getting the large door to open. Sprinting to the work table, she picked up the original Key Scroll and held it up to the fireplace which had just been recently lit.

And there it was.

Hermione could not contain her excitement. Both she and Malfoy noted that the Runes did look oddly familiar, and so at first were undaunted by the task, but as time went on, they became less and less sure of themselves. But now the firelight revealed everything. Strokes and whole entire Runes appeared on the Scroll in her hands, water-marked and only detectable through light. It was a simple, almost foolish, method of safeguarding one's codes, as it failed with age and was easily detectable – once you knew what the trick was. But it seemed that the trunks were specially enchanted with a charm to protect its possessions from the corrosive nature of time. Her joy and excitement were uncontrollable as Hermione ran over to the other trunks and pulled out a random scroll, holding it up to the fire as she did before. And sure enough, markings that were not apparent on the Scroll to the naked eye, suddenly became visible.

Needless to say, Hermione did not go back down to lunch, instead setting to work to translate the Key Scroll. And with a small savage pride that she would get it done without Malfoy's help at all.

By the time Malfoy entered the room, Hermione had already transcribed the Key Scroll – with its extra markings and Runes – and translated it. The pattern was easy to see after that and she soon had the correct corresponding set of Runes – a fairly common one used by scholars of the Balthrage Era. She was in the middle of working on translating it into the Arabic alphabet when she was interrupted.

"Don't tell me you've worked it out Granger?" came a derisive voice.

Hermione turned to see that Malfoy was standing quite close to her, looking over her shoulder. His close presence to her unnerved her more than his unbelieving tone. Pushing herself and her chair slightly away from him, her excitement was too much to let herself be angry at him.

"Yes I did! It was so simple! Oh, I can't believe that neither of us worked it out! Look!" and with that she unconsciously took his arm and led him over to the fire. Holding the scroll up to it, she showed him what the trick was.

Malfoy was utterly dumbstruck.

"This is it? This is what we have been going crazy over to figure out?" he said incredulously, taking the scroll from her.

"Yes, and now I have it partly translated into the Arabic alphabet, you know, just to make it easier for us to work with" Hermione finished breathlessly. The sheer happiness radiating from her eyes seemed to affect Malfoy somewhat as he stared at her for a moment. After a short pause, his face broke into a small smile, one that he tried to hide by turning away his head. Hermione noticed this and called him out on it at once.

"What is that I see?" she said jokingly. "That could not possibly be a smile? Coming from the cold hearted and indifferent Draco Malfoy? Well I never!"

Malfoy's smile only grew wider, and Hermione's breath caught in her throat. Whenever he smiled like that, his handsome features were completely transformed, almost unrecognisable from the constantly sneering boy who tormented her in years past. When he smiled like that, she could almost forget that person. Almost.

Malfoy walked over to his side of the worktable, grinning and shaking his head.

"I have to hand it to you Granger. What exactly caused this sudden brainwave of yours?"

Hermione blushed at this. There was no way that Hermione was going to reveal her secret enjoyment of badly written, romance novels.

"If I tell you I'll have to kill you" was all she said, in what she hoped was a mysterious voice, but was sure that Malfoy could see through. Nevertheless, he let the subject drop.

"So what does it say? The Key Scroll?"

"Hmm, that's the thing. I'm pretty sure I translated it correctly, but all that's coming out is gibberish" she said rather embarrassedly, passing over her translation.

Malfoy looked at it for a moment, his brow furrowed in concentration.

"_He looks so different when he's like that"_ Hermione's mind wondered idly as she studied his features.

"Granger, I think this is it. This is all ridiculously simple."

"Hmm?"

"Look, I know I'm painfully attractive, but could you just please stop mentally undressing me for a moment so we could get some work done?" he said impatiently, a look of sardonic amusement in his eyes.

Flushing at having been caught staring, Hermione cleared her throat uncomfortably.

"What is it?"

"Here. The translated text is in code itself. A fairly simple one at that. I guess the writer, whoever he was, assumed that no-one would ever be able to figure out the water-mark thing."

Hermione took her own translated scroll to find a few markings and scribblings in Malfoy's tiny script.

Looking back up at him, with a triumphant expression she said "This is it isn't it? We've done it haven't we?"

"Oh yes" he drawled back. "Now we just have to translate eight trunks full of it. Should be a breeze really."

Hermione ignored his sarcasm and sat back down in her seat, pulling out a fresh piece of parchment, not caring about the work still ahead of them. Finally they had made some progress.

**Some belated "Author Thanks" to – **

**Tu lo sai inc. – **My first reviewer! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing!

**Just Looking Around – **Thanks for reading! You're wonderful!

**TenesseeSweetheart** – I won't stop, trust me, I've written a few chapters ahead and know exactly where I'm going. Thanks for reviewing and lazy people suck, haha.

I won't be updating for quite a while as I will be away, so see you in three weeks!


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: **Hello I'm back! There is no way that I'll stop writing this story before it is finished, I can assure you of that gentle readers. However, university starts soon, so updates may be few and far between.

"Really? That is wonderful!" Professor Lanselius could be heard exclaiming one day after a Study of Ancient Runes lesson.

Hermione and Malfoy finally had some progress on their work to report to the Professor, a fact that made Hermione ecstatic as she lapped up the praise.

"I knew you two would be able to work together wonderfully!" the ebullient teacher said.

Malfoy coughed at that moment and Hermione had a strong suspicion that he was smothering a snort. Hermione ignored this and said instead "Oh yes, and now that we have worked out the key to deciphering it, we can soon find out exactly what is in those Scrolls!"

"Well done to both of you!" Professor Lanselius said happily. "I should expect weekly reports from you now. Nothing too heavy! Just a brief update on what you have found out. Who was the writer, when was it written, things like that." And with that, Professor Lanselius abruptly dismissed them to lunch.

Hermione didn't let the fact that Professor Lanselius' curiosity on the subject of the Scrolls was rather disappointing bother her much as she practically skipped to collect her books and her bag. But then a prickly sensation overcame her as she felt Malfoy's gaze upon her. Finding it rather disconcerting, she turned to face him straight in the eyes.

"Yes?" she said not unpleasantly.

Malfoy only smirked at her and gathered his own things.

"_Boys, really!" _Hermione thought as she walked towards the door where Malfoy was, strangely enough, waiting for her.

Hermione eyed him warily, not trusting him enough - well, not at all for that matter – to not hex her when her back was turned. However, Hermione was surprised when she got to him, un-cursed. Sarcastically waving his arm through, grin firmly in place on his pale face all Malfoy said was "Ladies first."

Hermione could hardly believe this.

"Surely this isn't some sort of old sense of chivalry Malfoy?" she said teasingly as she walked out the door.

"Of course it is. All Malfoys are perfect gentlemen and therefore treat ladies accordingly."

Hermione had trouble repressing her bemused laughter at this as she made her way to the Great Hall. Expecting that Malfoy was behind her, she turned her head and was about to reply when she saw him still lingering at the classroom door. Raising her eyebrows quizzically at him as if to say _"why in the world are you still standing there?" _his only reply was to cross his arms, indicating that _"because it would be unseemly for a Gryffindor and a Slytherin to walk the halls together." _Hermione rolled her eyes at him and stomped away angrily. The nerve of him! What a proud and annoying little prat! She fumed at the conceit of him as she seated herself next to Ron and Harry at the Great Hall, but soon wondered why it bothered her so much. It never mattered to her so much when Malfoy was being a prat to her before, why should it now?

It was near midnight and Hermione and Malfoy had decided to take a well deserved break.

"I'll go down to the Kitchens to get some refreshments" Malfoy said as Hermione stifled a yawn.

"Don't get caught"

"I won't. A Malfoy is never caught on midnight wanderings" he said proudly before silently slipping through the door.

Hermione had to smile at this because there was not much that could ruin her good mood. They had spent several hours dutifully working with wonderful results. The Scrolls were written between 1314-1350 by the medieval scholar, Joren Schott, a wizard who, according to Hermione's extensive knowledge of the contents of the Library, studied the fantastic and mythological. Schott was not considered to be very credible in the medieval wizarding world, however, his theories often based on faulty logic, with the results of his 'scientific' experiments unable to be replicated and therefore dismissed. He was very much a crackpot that no-one believed and with the discovery of the Scrolls' author, both Hermione and Malfoy were sorely disappointed. What they had been working on for what seemed an age, could all be for some loony scholar who lived 700 years ago!

"They're probably full of instructions on how to create a dragon out of a feather and lead or his theory on why the stars are actually the candles of the gods" Malfoy sneered upon learning the identity of the now-not-so-mystery-author.

To be completely honest with herself, Hermione thought the same thing. However, she quickly banished this thought from her mind to fix Malfoy with a disapproving stare.

"Maybe, maybe not. But there must be something important in this, otherwise why would he have coded it and buried it?"

"Don't ask me how a lunatic's mind works Granger!"

"He is not a lunatic!"

"His surviving works certainly point in that direction" he baited with a smirk on his face, watching with amusement as Hermione's face began to get red.

"Nevertheless, these scrolls have not been seen before by anyone besides us! So there might be something in it!" she said hotly before calming down.

_Why do I always get like this with him anyway?_ Hermione's mind wondered angrily.

Malfoy, on the other hand, remained as cool and calm as ever, watching her patiently, only adding to Hermione's seething fury.

Some time afterwards, when the tension had palpably lessened, as they continued on with their work, Malfoy decided to go down to the Kitchen for some 'refreshments' as it were.

Hermione stretched back and looked over the work she had done. Unfortunately, it seemed that Malfoy's depressing and off-hand prediction was correct, for what Hermione held in her hand was a very ridiculous and impossible charm. However, there was no way that Hermione was going to accede that Malfoy was right. Instead, she would work twice as stubbornly and hard as ever to find that Schott's writings did pertain to something important. Lost in her thoughts, Hermione started when the door began to open.

"A little help here would be lovely you know" Malfoy's voice came irritably from the door.

Hermione couldn't contain her giggle at the sight of Malfoy with his arms full of food and drinks as he tried to make his way into the room. She raced over to him and held the door open for him while taking the two empty mugs from him. Her hands gently brushed his at that moment and she was suddenly struck by how smooth and warm his skin was. A sudden sensation of what it would be like with those hands around her waist flashed into her consciousness, leaving her standing still at the door, trembling.

"You going to join me or not? Because I really don't think I can eat all of this myself" Malfoy's voice came from the fireplace. He had set up the food that he had brought from the kitchen on the ground in front of the fireplace and was lazing on his side.

Hermione shook herself from her daze, trying very hard to suppress her blush and went to sit cross-legged across from him, making sure to keep her distance.

"How much did you steal? There is no way that we can finish all of this!" she exclaimed at the numerous plates of 'snacks' in front of her.

Malfoy looked mock-affronted.

"Steal? I would never do such a thing! How you wound my honour!"

Hermione had to laugh out loud at the thought of Malfoy with honour. Perhaps it was her lack of sleep again. Malfoy joined in with her joyful, if sleep deprived, laughter.

"No, the house-elves were only too happy to give this all to me"

"They were still up?"

"Oh yes, and dead useful too."

Hermione pursed her lips at this. She could never approve of the enslavement of house-elves and felt a stern lecture regarding the rights of such a slighted minority group about to be presented.

"You know, its people like you who really abuse those poor house-elves. Exactly what have they done to deserve this kind of treatment anyway? Nothing! They have a really harsh lot in life and wizards don't really care about their welfare!" she said heatedly. "And now you go around acting as if it is your God-given right to treat them as if they're not human."

"But they're not human" Malfoy said placatingly.

"That is not the point!" Hermione argued angrily. Honestly, she wouldn't be so angry if Malfoy wasn't smirking so superiorly at her.

"Stop that!" she said beginning to feel uncomfortable at his unwavering gaze.

"Why?" he drawled, lazily pouring some hot chocolate for himself.

"Because it's annoying!" she countered.

"What if I like it?" he replied softly.

"What? Annoying me?"

"No, looking at you" he said quietly, now not meeting her eyes.

This completely stopped Hermione dead in her tracks. She tried to breathe normally, forcing herself to slow down her heartbeat which had tripled at what he had just said.

"You… what?" she faltered.

"I like you Hermione" he said as he slowly lifted his eyes to meet hers. There she saw honesty and a somewhat vulnerable sincerity. Hermione had never thought of Malfoy as being vulnerable, instead he walked around the school and treated everyone with a mask of cold indifference. What Hermione now saw was unlike anything she had ever seen from him. It was as if Malfoy now deigned to show a part of himself to Hermione that he kept private from everyone else. Feeling rather overwhelmed at this, all she could utter out was a faint "Oh."

That vulnerability disappeared from his eyes instantly to be replaced by a coldness that pierced Hermione's heart.

"I'm going to go" she said quietly after an embarrassed and uncomfortable pause.

Malfoy only nodded as Hermione went to gather her things. Just as she was out the door and on the landing, she could hear Malfoy whisper "Goodnight Hermione" almost as if to himself.

**Some Author Thanks – **

**Sighcofcof **– Cute username! Thank you for reviewing, although what does 'aswam' mean?

**Just Looking Around** – I had a wonderful time on holiday to Hong Kong and Shanghai, it was lovely thankyou. Thanks for the continued read-age (yes, it's a word!) and review-age (also a word! Haha).

**Hikari90** – Thanks for the review and yes, I will still continue to write. To submit your own stories, go to the 'stories' button on the left side of your menu page when you login and then on the upper right there should be a link that says 'new stories' or something like that. It should be pretty easy to follow from then on. If not, check out the FAQ on the homepage.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **Yes, I know, the lateness of this update is absolutely heinous, I KNOW! BUT I have just started uni and have just recently moved and the combined suckitude that is moving away from home and starting uni after three months of blessed holiday-ness has prevented me from writing about the love lives of Draco and Hermione.

WARNING: Next update might not be for a while. This is just here to show you that yes, I am still alive and no, I will not abandon this fic. Ever.

Hermione quickly walked to the Gryffindor Common Room, anxious not to get caught by Filch in the middle of the night, wandering the school alone. Lost in her thoughts, she came to the Fat Lady portrait almost quite suddenly.

"Hopscotch butterscotch!" whispered Hermione frantically.

"Hmm, secret midnight trysts?" inquired the Fat Lady sleepily.

"Just let me in!"

Walking into the warm Common Room, Hermione heaved a great sigh of relief. Settling herself heavily down onto her favourite, and by far most comfortable, armchair by the fire, Hermione took her time to arrange the muddle that were her thoughts.

What was that? Malfoy like her? _No,_ came the sensible part of her mind. _Malfoy liked looking at her _was what he said exactly. Same thing really. _But it wasn't._ Oh, it was all too weird. Why would Malfoy like looking at her? Hermione never thought of herself as being very beautiful or anything like that. She had no time for such vain things such as her appearance, no matter how much Lavender and Parvati kept on offering her a make-over. She never wore make-up like the other girls did and if her hair did not frizz out like a giant puffball, then she was glad of that. And yet, when Malfoy had said that, there hadn't been any secret intention or anything malicious in his tone, as far as Hermione could tell. Oh, why was he confusing her so much? And then he had said her name when he thought she couldn't hear it. But she heard it all right. It nearly made her stop, but instead she hurried down the stairs and out the Library.

It was odd, her name coming from him. She had never heard him refer to her as anything other than "Granger" or something less than savoury. And his voice seemed so hurt, like a whispered plea to no-one. Hermione closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. What was happening?

oooooooooooooo

"Just poke her or something."

"No way! You do it!"

"Ron, you are such a wuss! Hermione! Hermione!"

Hermione felt herself being shaken awake. Slowly, reluctantly, she felt herself regaining consciousness.

"What, what? What time is it?" she asked sleepily.

"It's six o'clock," came Harry's voice.

Harry? How did the boys get into the girls' dormitory? Confused by this, Hermione began to wake more fully to find that she was not in her bed, but was in fact, sitting on her favourite armchair by the fire in the Common Room.

"Were you down here all night?" asked Ron incredulously.

Hermione yawned extensively. "Guess I was," she said while getting up and stretching painfully. Sleeping in an upright position wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world.

"Uh," asked Ron, afraid of the answer, "why exactly were you down here all night?"

"Um, working late?" Hermione countered defensively, not wanting to get into a fight this early. Harry, perhaps sensing this, quickly said "Hey, we'll meet you down at breakfast okay?" before ushering a silently protesting Ron out of the Portrait. Hermione was glad of this as she walked up the stairs to her dorm to get ready for the oncoming school day.

Hermione's bedraggled appearance and all night-out raised insistent questions from Lavender and Parvati up in their dorm, where there was no Harry to deflect those questions.

As Hermione sleepily gathered her things to get ready for the day, she didn't notice Parvati grinning at Lavender significantly.

"Did you come up to bed last night Hermione?" asked Parvati, barely stifling a giggle.

"No, I fell asleep in the Common Room."

"Oh really? Because you couldn't make your way up to your bed from your tiring night out?" teased Lavender.

Hermione, now fully awake, did not like what they were insinuating.

"I wasn't out. I was doing some work with Malfoy" she said angrily, but instantly regretting her words as soon as they came out.

"Ohhh, work. Is that what they're calling it nowadays?" grinned Parvati.

"Look" said Hermione, getting impatient. "I'm tired and really don't want to do this. The only thing between Malfoy and I is our project." But Hermione knew it was a lost cause, as Parvati and Lavender were some of the worst gossips in the school.

Parvati and Lavender only grinned at each other, walking down to breakfast together as Lavender muttered to Parvati "Must be some pretty _hard _work to leave her so tired" before bursting out into fits of giggles.

At breakfast in the Great Hall, Hermione expected to be surrounded by whispers and secretive glances towards her from the entire school, knowing Lavender and Parvati's love of gossip. Really, who could resist a saucy story of a Slytherin and Gryffindor _working_ to the late hours of the night? But she was surprised when she got there, for the Hall was filled only with all the normal sounds of sleepy students at breakfast. Hermione almost laughed in relief as she began to berate her own conceitedness, actually supposing that the entire school might pay attention to her! Like the world revolved around her! _Must be some of the Malfoy pride rubbing off on her, _her mind wondered idly. Banishing this horrible thought from her mind, Hermione made her way to Harry and Ron. Luckily, it seemed as if Harry had talked to Ron about Hermione's morning as Ron wisely kept their conversations to neutral subjects throughout the day.

After dinner, Hermione found herself dragging her feet to the Library - something she never did. But still she had to go to the Library. Whatever was going on between her and Malfoy, she couldn't just stop working on the Scrolls because of him, and it wasn't like she could avoid him forever either. No, she would have to face him as soon as possible and get the whole mess sorted out. _And perhaps,_ a sly voice said in the back of her mind, _you just can't bear the thought of not seeing him._ Hermione suppressed this thought as she took a deep breath and inserted the key into the keyhole. For once, Malfoy wasn't there before her and a very tiny part of her felt disappointment at this. Nevertheless, she made her way over to the worktable and was about to sit down when the door opened. Hermione turned to see Malfoy walk quickly in, his head down, with a letter in his hand. He didn't seem to have noticed her, and so was startled when she called out his name. He looked up at her and at that instant, Hermione felt her gut tighten. Were those _tears_ in Malfoy's eyes? Malfoy hurriedly looked down and quickly turned around, about to dash for the door, passing his hand ever so casually across his eyes.

"No wait, don't" said Hermione softly, not really supposing that he would. But he did.

With his back towards her, not moving, Hermione began to slowly and awkwardly walk up to him. She tentatively placed her hand on his shoulder, afraid that he might shrug it off. But instead, he stiffened at first before relaxing.

"What's wrong?" she asked quietly. Seeing such a cold composure completely lost in anguish made Hermione anxious. What could possibly be so bad as to rattle Malfoy's icy demeanour?

"My father," came Malfoy's quiet reply, shaky at first. But his voice soon started to regain some strength.

"He wants me to return home. He says that it is pointless finishing school under that Mudblood-loving fool. He says that the Dark Lord has bigger plans for me." At this, his voice cracked and he took a deep breath.

Hermione was completely stunned. She never thought that in a million years, Malfoy would open up his problems to her. Her heart ached at the inner pain he must be feeling.

"And what do you want to do?" she asked gently.

Malfoy seemed surprised at this, as if the thought of what he wanted never occurred to him, Hermione supposed.

"Stay here" he said before turning slowly to fix Hermione with his pale, blue-eyed stare. Hermione gasped as she felt that Malfoy did not only mean 'here at Hogwarts' but 'here with you.' Malfoy continued to stare into her eyes as Hermione saw a wordless question in his, feeling her pulse quicken and chills erupt all over her body. But before she could be certain of what it was, he turned abruptly from her, leaving her speechless and breathless. He looked disappointed and somewhat angry at himself as he strode to the doors leading to the balcony.

"How is it that we've never opened these doors and gone outside?" he asked, his voice back to normal, looking as if the previous few moments had not just happened. He pushed open the doors which let in a gentle breeze that had a slight chill in it. Walking out, Malfoy took in the view and leant on the stone railing. Hermione felt herself at a loss. This was all too intense for her. She preferred her romances to be in safe, badly written, Muggle novels, not in her real life. Her hair felt almost electrified and her hands began to shake as she walked over to Malfoy and out onto the balcony. The sight was truly spectacular, but she decided to inspect and appreciate it at another time, as she stood quietly next to Malfoy. The silence stretched between them comfortably as if words were not quite needed. Hermione didn't feel as if she had a right to pry into such a private person. Moving slightly closer to him, Hermione could feel the warmth emanating from him as her body thrilled from this new sensation. She placed her hand on top of his, almost instinctively, without thinking and before she could pull away, Malfoy turned it over and gripped it in his. From their closeness, Hermione idly noticed that she was only a few inches shorter than him and that if she only stood on her tip toes, she would reach those lips of his…

"Thank you" said Malfoy quietly, without looking at her, filling her with a strange kind of warmth that began at the pit of her stomach to spread outwards to her fingers, making them tingle. Broken out of her reverie, Hermione glanced up at Malfoy and smiled a tiny smile. Was Hermione starting to care for Malfoy?

**A/N:** I'm afraid that is going to be it for a while – but fear not, for I shall be back!

Author thanks to -

**Queen of the Scoubies** , **Just Looking Around**, **TennesseeSweetheart, **and anyone who is still reading this!


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** I really can't do the 'Hagrid-talk' and so I'm not even going to try. So in this fic, Hagrid won't be in it very much and when he is, he will be talking normally.

Draco was waiting for her. He had been waiting for her for so long that she felt that every moment before their meeting was unfairly stolen from them. Finally, there he was, seated by the couch with a roaring fire at the side, looking expectant. She giggled and ran the last few steps to settle herself in his arms.

"Miss me?" she asked leaning in for a kiss.

"Always" he replied, looking down at her with so much love that their kiss was almost painful with passion.

"I love you Hermione."

"I love you too – "

"… Draco" Hermione muttered sleepily before starting awake suddenly. Looking quickly around her, she found it difficult to see much for it was completely dark. Shaking off the disturbingly vivid dream, she looked at her watch. It was half-past eleven. She had had an early night that night, figuring what with all the work she had been doing, she deserved some well-earned sleep along with the fact that it would be Saturday tomorrow. Hoping against hope that Lavender and Parvati were already asleep, she gazed at their prone forms in their beds. Sighing heavily, Hermione settled herself down again and tried to get back to sleep trying to forget how warm and soft Malfoy's lips were, how her stomach fluttered when he kissed her so passionately, how it felt so right to be in his arms…

Hermione's Saturday morning passed well enough, and the three of them were in such good spirits that they decided to pay Hagrid a visit that afternoon, something that they, guiltily, haven't done for a long while.

"Thought you might have forgotten where I live!" Hagrid's happy voice boomed out of the Hut when they got to it.

"We would never forget!" Hermione said emphatically as the three of them settled themselves around the table and Hagrid bustled about to make them some tea.

"Nah, I knew you wouldn't. But I know that Seventh Year is a big year and that you three must have been spending your every moment doing work that your Professors have set you." Hagrid looked pointedly at Ron.

"Ah yes, that is exactly what has kept us" Ron said as his ears began to get red.

They spent a great afternoon at Hagrid's with each party telling the other what they had been up to.

"And Hermione, I hear that you've been having to work with that git Malfoy. Dunno how you haven't hexed him into an oblivion yet, but I guess that you have always had more willpower than any of us!" Hagrid said.

Hermione tried to suppress her blush as she remembered her dream last night and felt the irony of the moment. Willpower indeed!

She cleared her throat and managed to change the topic of conversation without the other three noticing her discomfort.

The hours passed by without their realisation and it was half past three before Hermione noted the time.

"Time does fly when you're having fun eh? Are you sure you don't want to stay for dinner?"

Ron, hungry enough as it was, what with missing lunch after politely refusing Hagrid's Mystery Stew, declined this offer along with Harry.

"Yes we're sure Hagrid. We promise to visit you soon!" said Harry as he collected his cloak from beneath Fang.

The trio left the Hut and began to make their way towards the Castle in the failing light. They were halfway there when Hermione imagined she saw something in the corner of her eye. A pale something. Stopping suddenly, she drew the boys' attentions to her.

"What's the matter Hermione?" asked Harry.

She stood indecisive for a moment, frowning in the direction of the greenhouses.

"I think I saw something" she muttered half distractedly. She had a suspicion that she knew what that certain something was, or rather who it was. And she was also quite sure that she wanted to face this someone without Ron and Harry. Thinking quick, she said "Did either of you see Crookshanks this morning?"

Harry and Ron looked at each other before saying that they hadn't.

Hermione, putting on a bright front said "I think I just saw him over there! You two go on ahead while I go get him. I won't be long" she added as Harry began to protest. Predictably, Ron heartily assented to this, due to his dislike for the cat and began to lead the way back up to the castle.

Hermione began to walk towards the greenhouses, making it seem as if she were really looking for Crokshanks, when in fact she knew that he was safe and sound in the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Probably terrorising some First Years" she laughed to herself while softly whispering "Crookshanks!" and bending towards the ground.

The truth was that Hermione felt slightly uncomfortable at having to deceive her two best friends and even frightened herself a bit at how easy it had been. These were the two people who had basically shared every part of her life for the past seven years, and here she was lying to them. But if it meant having to avoid a fistfight where people got hurt, then that was an appropriate justification.

Getting closer to the darkness of the greenhouses, Hermione began to feel apprehensive. What if it wasn't Malfoy, and something more sinister? And yet, why did her mind suddenly go to Malfoy anyway? Feeling like she was losing her mind, Hermione quickly pulled out her wand and lit it. Relieving her fears to be replaced with annoyance, the light showed Malfoy leaning against the wall to the greenhouse, as casually as if he did this in the near darkness all the time.

"I knew you couldn't resist my charms Granger" he smirked as Hermione looked at his disapprovingly.

"It wasn't your charms I couldn't resist, but rather to know exactly why you're skulking around behind the greenhouses."

"What I do behind the greenhouses, or rather who, is none of your business"

Hermione coloured at what this implied.

"Relax, I'm not that cheap. In any case, I've been looking for you all day."

"So you've taken to spying on me?"

"Well I couldn't exactly burst into that oaf's shack over there and ask for a quick word with you."

"He's not an oaf!"

"And yet inconsequential to my point and therefore to this conversation."

"You're saying that you've been waiting here alone since this afternoon, waiting for me to leave?"

"Who said anything about alone?"

"I thought you said you weren't that cheap."

"And so I did. Aren't you in the least bit interested in what I have waited all day, oh-so-alone, to tell you?"

Hermione enjoyed the strange, yet easy banter they had going and was tempted to say no, but the fact that Malfoy would actually seek her out to tell her something was too much for her curiosity to disregard. But then again, who had sought out whom?

"I guess" she said as indifferently as she could.

Malfoy smiled a triumphant smile.

"It seems that our dear friend Schott was involved in something much larger than either of us ever thought. Ever heard of the Fraternity?"

"You mean the wizarding version of the Stonemasons?"

"Yeah. Looks like Schott was not only a member, but held a pretty high position."

Hermione eyes widened in wonder. 

"How did you find this out?"

"Well, I'm not too sure, that's why I wanted to tell you today, to make sure that I had the translation right" he said, avoiding her eyes and walking past her towards the castle.

"Wait!" she said, walking after him until she was by his side. "Is this you asking for my help?" she asked teasingly.

"Maybe."

"Never thought I'd see the day" she said wonderingly.

"Neither did I" he acceded before flashing her one of his rare smiles.

_What have I done to you Malfoy?_

**Author Thanks to – **Queen of the Scoubies, hikari90, firebirdflame, TennesseeSweetheart and Just Looking Around and anyone else who is still reading this. I apologise for the lack of updates but I hope to assure you that I will never ever let this story finish without a proper ending, epilogue and all. It just may take me a little longer than I'd like.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Short chapter I know. Sorry! Just know that I am still working on this! I haven't given up!**

The two of them made their way up to their workroom and got to work as soon as possible. It was true, Schott was indeed a member of the Fraternity – the secret wizard society that spanned from the early 12th century to an undiscerned date. The last evidence of their existence was a few years after the French Revolution, but conspiracy theorists liked to believe that they went only further underground and still existed to this date.

After further research on the Fraternity, Hermione decided to call it a night for homework, a decision that surprised herself.

Malfoy did the same thing and the two of them walked to the Great Hall together.

"Are you going home for Christmas?" he asked her suddenly as they left the Library.

Taken aback at his question and at the fact that he was actually asking her, Hermione hesitated before answering.

"I think so. And you?"

"Yes." The abrupt one word answer was so different to the easy playful mood he was in before.

"Ah, but do you want to go home?" Hermione asked gently, unconsciously moving closer to him. Malfoy looked down at her, the pain in his eyes evident.

"I don't have a choice."

"But you do have an opinion in the matter. You always do."

"But are they mine though?" he asked bitterly, looking away.

"All my life," he continued "it was my parents who controlled every part of my life. I didn't know any better then, but I'm afraid that they're always going to be keeping me on a leash that I can't get away from."

Hermione couldn't help but feel sympathetic. But it was wonder that eventually won out as the overriding emotion at Malfoy opening all of this up to her. Why her? Why now?

As if hearing her unvoiced question, he added

"You're the only one I can tell all of this to Hermione."

"Did you just call me Hermione?" she asked breathless.

Malfoy looked taken aback, as if he hadn't even realised that he had just used her name so casually and familiarly. His face twitched.

"Is it okay if I do?" he asked, a note of fear in his voice. He gazed searchingly into her eyes in a way that made feel Hermione a little light headed by its intensity.

"Yes" was all she could say before smiling a bright smile at him. He returned the smile.

They walked on in silence a little more before Hermione continued their conversation from before.

"But you always seem to be surrounded by so many people."

"It doesn't mean that they're people I trust."

"You trust me? Why? I should be the last person you'd trust! A Gryffindor no less!" she laughed lightly.

He stopped and turned to her seriously.

"Hermione, you are the first person that I could actually talk to and know that you won't betray me. Not because you're scared of my father or intimidated by my situation in life, you are much more stronger and braver than that, but because you are a good person. You are able to find the light in some of the darkest things in the world and that is something that I admire."

She was stunned to say the least at this revelation.

"Draco, I…"

It was his turn for his face to light up.

"You should call me that more often" he said to her softly before walking away.

It was then that Hermione realised that they had already made their way to the Great Hall. She stayed still and watched as he walked towards the Slytherin dungeons.

**Author Thanks** to Irish Elf and any others who are reading out there!

Personal thanks have been posted out to those who reviewed!


	11. Chapter 11

The Christmas break was upon Hogwarts sooner than Hermione had liked. It had been planned, however, that she was to spend the first week with her parents before staying with the Weasleys at the Burrow for the rest of the holidays. So in a sense, she was also looking forward to her Christmas break.

But what she wasn't looking forward to was leaving school behind, as well as two weeks without working on the scrolls. Draco and Hermione had been finding more and more about Schott who, rather unwittingly, revealed a lot about the 'secret' order of the Fraternity. It was evident that he thought this information would never be found out due to his 'ingenuous' code that was broken by a pair of eighteen year olds.

But was that all she would be missing? The two of them had got on considerably well over the past few weeks. So well in fact that Hermione couldn't even remember the last time they had had a real argument. It was true that Hermione began to enjoy Draco's company and sometimes even wanted to spend time with him outside of their workroom above the Library. He trusted her enough to open up to her and she, in turn, began to understand him more and more.

As Hermione packed her trunks, her mind wandered back to a late night conversation that they had had last night; a conversation that she knew would be burned into her memory for a very long time to come.

…………….

They had finished their work for the night; or rather Draco had dragged Hermione away from the Scrolls for the night. Sitting by the fireplace with a wide assortment of food around them, Draco and Hermione spent the next few hours in conversation that varied from seriousness to light hearted banter.

There was a lull in the conversation as Draco considered Hermione for a moment.

"So tell me about your life before Hogwarts. Where you grew up, where you went to school, if you were as stubborn as you are now when you were ten."

She looked mock affronted. "You want to know about my boring, inferior Muggle upbringing?"

"I want to know about you."

Confused at his interest, Hermione felt a little prickly at first.

"I don't know. I grew up in a nice enough neighbourhood. Suburbia you know? My parents are dentists so I had a pretty normal and therefore uneventful childhood. I went to school at the local private school. I would walk there and back everyday, it was so close."

This was the stripped down version of Hermione's life. The truth was that, uneventful as it was, Hermione had disliked it very much. Always teased at school for being smart and somewhat gawky, Hermione knew she was different and was always at a loss to fit in. She remembered the numerous times she ran home crying to her parents at what the bullies at school had said to her.

"Did you like it there?" Draco asked. Hermione, unable to keep her emotions in check as well as she'd like, knew that Draco had picked up on her morose feeling.

"No" she felt that she owed him the truth after everything that he had told her.

"It was terrible. I knew I was different, but I didn't know in what way. People used to tease me for being, I don't know, smart, bossy, a know-it-all, I guess, which is what I am I suppose. But kids can be so cruel."

Draco nodded sympathetically.

"And you?" Hermione decided to flip the question back to him. "Come on, it's only fair, I told you about myself."

He agreed that it was indeed only fair, but took a moment before speaking.

"I grew up within the confines of the manor. I learnt everything from philosophy to Latin to algebra from the tutors my parents assigned to me. They wanted to continue the tradition of a 'classical education' within the Malfoy line," he all but spat out the last few words. "I didn't know many kids my age and was taught to treat anyone who wasn't a pureblood with money as something inferior and not worth my notice or time."

"And did you like it there?" It was asked in gentle earnestness.

"I didn't know any better. I guess I did, as I was told that I had the best of the best. Nothing less for a Malfoy, right? And I did get the best of the best of everything in terms of material possessions."

"But?"

"But, despite all of that, I look in the mirror everyday and I don't like what I see Hermione. I don't like what I've become." The fear and pain was all too evident in his voice as he turned his eyes to Hermione.

"What do you see?"

"Someone who is lacking something. It's absurd to think that I'm actually lacking anything in material possessions, but there you go. I find that every time I'm with you, that becomes more and more apparent."

Hermione was getting more and more confused by the direction the conversation was taking. But she couldn't help asking him to continue. She found the way that he spoke, as if he was far, far away in his own little world, intoxicating, in a way that made her discomfited.

"I'm scared that I'll turn out like my father. If anything that I want in my life, is to not become anything like him. Is that a fair enough wish?" He asked her.

She took a moment before answering him, choosing her words carefully.

"I think it's fair for you to wish anything you want in your life Draco. Nothing is stopping you from getting and doing what you want."

He laughed humourlessly.

"Sometime you can be so naïve Hermione."

"You're calling me naïve?"

"In some cases such as this yes."

Hermione's eyes narrowed at the flippant and arrogant way he had just said this. Her anger at his conceit and condescending manner made her stand abruptly and turn away from him.

"That's really unfair Draco."

"Perhaps, but true nonetheless. You have no idea what my life is like. You have these rose tinted glasses planted so firmly on your nose that you think the entire world is full of bunnies and lollipops."

She had grown completely still, but turned around slowly when he finished.

"Lollipops and bunnies?" Her voice was a deadly whisper. "I'm pretty sure they were non-existent when I saw a good friend of mine die, or when Harry almost got killed by Lord Voldemort. Or the time when I thought everyone around me was going to die last year in the Department of Mysteries."

He was completely quiet as she rounded on him, her eyes full of an angry fire. Hermione stopped, took a breath and seemed surprised that she became as indignant as this.

"Hermione. I'm so sorry. I didn't – "

"No, of course you didn't. Because in your mind, I'm just this little girl who has no idea what the world is really like out there, secluded in this little cocoon of hers – "

She was too riled up to even notice the note of sincerity and humility that had overcome Draco's voice.

"No, I don't. Please. I'm sorry Hermione."

She stopped and looked at him, her breathing irregular. He came towards her and stopped, just after about to reach out to take her hands. She looked down as his arms fell back to his side and looked back up to his face which was much closer than she had thought it had been. He held her gaze for a long time, searching, always searching. His closeness made her extremely aware of the heat that was radiating from his body, making her own tingle uncontrollably. He leant in and took her waist in his hands gently. He placed his lips on top of hers and pauses for a moment before kissing her fully. Hermione was completely swept away by this action and soon felt breathless, holding onto his shoulders for support. He broke away from the kiss for a moment and leant back, looking at her again with that same intensity. A small smile played on his lips as he studied her flustered reaction and the blush that was beginning to appear on her cheeks.

He seemed apprehensive as Hermione tried to find the words to describe what she was feeling. But that anxiety was visibly erased as Hermione beamed up at him and leant in for another kiss. He took her face in his hands and stroked her hair gently, kissing her with everything he felt at that moment.

This had been a good night indeed.

Review me, you know you want to.

Author Thanks to **Ikia, and Holly Inks.**

**Replies have been posted to those who have an account here.**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I am soooo uninspired. And soooo sorry for this late update.  
**

Hermione Granger was currently preoccupied in the process of dragging her extraordinarily heavy trunk down from the girls dormitory to the Common Room. However, she was halfway down the stairs before realising she could still use her magic for a few more hours.

_Locomortis!_

Happily, Hermione made her way down the stairs without much more effort, using her wand to guide the now levitating trunk down.

"Hey Hermione! Need any help? Oh, I see you've already got that covered!" Ron said good naturedly as he and Harry spotted Hermione coming into the Common Room.

Hermione thanked her friends and promised to see them again soon at the Burrow. They had no idea what was causing the bounce in her step, the stupid grin on her face or the feeling of lightness in her stomach. No one did. And she was going to keep it that way.

"So we'll see you on the train later? It's just that Harry and I still need to do some last minute packing…" Ron called after her. But the fact was that Hermione had already floated dreamily out of the Portrait Hole, not hearing a word Ron had said

About to make her way towards the group of students crowding around the Entrance Hall, Hermione heard her name being whispered.

Looking back, she saw Draco's head poking out of an empty classroom. Struggling to keep another grin from erupting over her face, she walked over to him, ducking her face down.

Draco's face looked positively elated. He smiled broadly at Hermione and guided her into the room before closing the door behind him.

"Hi."

"Hey."

Hermione found it difficult to breathe and even more so when Draco stepped up closer to her.

"Hey, about last night. You don't think it was a mistake do you?"

His voice was gentle and tentative with the faintest hint of fear in it.

She looked up into his eyes and any doubt that she may have had (none) was completely washed away when she lost herself in his beautiful blue eyes.

"Absolutely not."

"Good," he smiled and leaned in for a sweet and chaste kiss, a brief touch of the lips that left Hermione tingling. He moved back to give her a little space and at that moment, Hermione felt the lack of his warmth and shivered slightly.

"So you're off to home?" he asked.

Coming out of her reverie, she shook herself and answered "Yeah, I'm spending the first week with mum and dad before going to the Burrow – to Ron's." She amended herself after seeing the slightly amused expression on his face that could be construed as a smirk. Could be.

"And you? Going back home too I presume?" She noted his trunk next to him.

He looked down and for a moment, self-consciousness flashed across his features.

"Yeah." He said in a defeated, weary voice.

"But you don't want to?" Hermione correctly guessed his miserable tone.

He smiled in a way that was painful to watch and made her heart ache with bitterness. No-one deserved this.

"No. But I'm not here to talk about what I don't want, but what I do." His demeanour and voice changed so suddenly in a way that amazed and frightened Hermione. If he could change his manner and behaviour this well and this quickly, who knew when else he was acting…

Her train of thought was interrupted, however, as Draco looked up at her when he had said this last part. Taking a deep breath, he seemed nervous.

"Hermione, I don't want to seem presumptuous, but I thought, seeing as it's the holidays and I won't see you over Christmas, I want you to have this."

He held out a small package, neatly wrapped in silver paper and tied with a white ribbon.

Hermione looked down with her eyes wide. This was too strange.

"You don't want it? I know, I have no right, but I thought it was nice and that you might like it." It was the closest Draco Malfoy ever came to stuttering and unsure of himself, Hermione supposed.

She took a deep breath and smiled, looking back up at his anxious face.

"No. I mean, yes, of course I want it. Thank you so much." He let out a relieved sigh.

"Open it."

"But it's not Christmas yet!"

"I don't care. And since when did I play by the rules?" His eyes twinkled mischievously.

Hermione, unable to hold an unwrapped present in her hands for longer than five minutes, opened the fragile box to reveal a beautiful silver pendant. It featured an exquisitely cut, white crystal that was surrounded by filigree vaguely Celtic in design.

"Oh Draco" she breathed "it's beautiful."

He took it from her hands and made her turn around. She lifted her hair as he did up the clasp of it, before trailing his fingers delicately down the back of her neck, causing goose bumps to erupt on her skin where he had had touched her.

She turned and found herself closer to Draco than she had imagined. She found their closeness extremely intense and somewhat heady.

"Thank you" she whispered.

"It looks beautiful on you."

He took her by her shoulders and placed a delicate kiss on her forehead.

"Have a good Christmas Hermione" he said softly, keeping her as close to him as possible. Finally pulling back, he gathered up his belongings.

"And don't read the note until New Years!"

She looked down at the box still in her hand to find a small envelope folded into it.

"I won't!"

He left her in the classroom with one last glance at her.

Hermione stood rooted to the spot, fingering the delicate gift Draco had given her, waiting for her heart to stop beating so wildly.

No words could adequately describe what Hermione was feeling at the moment. Not even her extensive vocabulary could suffice. She felt like at any moment she could burst with the happiness that was filling her body. She laughed out loud, not knowing what other outlet it could have. This was going to be the longest two week break ever.

**Review me because you know I'm awesome. Okay, not really, but I read somewhere that arrogance can get you what you want sometimes. Bahahaha!**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Super short chapter. Sorry.  
**

To say that the next two weeks of Hermione's life was difficult would be a rather large understatement. While she could explain her elated demeanour away to her parents as being genuine excitement at being back with her family, her friends however, weren't so easily fooled. In particular, a certain redheaded sister of a friend.

Ron and Harry greeted Hermione with open arms when she arrived at the Burrow, and being the boys that they were, didn't notice much different with their studious friend. Ginny on the other hand, was an entirely different matter.

It was another uneventful afternoon at the Burrow. The boys were out playing Quidditch, a sport that Hermione avoided as much as she could. She instead, found herself, in the security and warmth of the room she was sharing with Ginny, looking out the window.

"This is enough. Spill," came Ginny's voice, breaking Hermione's daydream of sorts.

"Hmm? What? Sorry, I wasn't listening."

"You seem to be doing that a lot lately."

"Have I?"

"Don't play innocent with me Hermione Granger. My brothers may not have a clue of what is going on in front of their very noses, but I would like to believe that you give me a little more credit."

Hermione was amazed at this passionate outburst from Ginny. But it was too much. Here was a perfect outlet for everything that she had been feeling. And after two painful weeks at not being able to tell anyone why she was so happy, she needed that outlet for all the frustrations that had built up inside of her.

"So spill. Why have you been walking about the place for the last few days with that cutesy grin on your face, humming and smiling at nothing?"

Hermione turned herself so that she was fully facing her friend.

"What I am about to say does not leave this room. Understand?"

Ginny seemed surprised at this.

"You look surprised. Why?"

"Because I didn't think a) you'd actually tell me and b) there was anything to tell."

"Oh haha. Very funny. I'm not that boring."

"Evidently" Ginny said excitedly, taking a seat closer to Hermione and smiling conspiratorially.

A more rational and colder individual would've noted how stereotypical this situation was of two girls gossiping over boys. But Hermione didn't care. She had very few (only one) girlfriends, so she may as well have her share of girly experiences.

And so Hermione began to tell Ginny of her twisted tale with Draco.

An hour later, Ginny sat back flabbergasted.

"So that's where that pendant came from? It's absolutely stunning!"

Hermione blushed as her hand unconsciously went to fiddle with it.

"But I have to say this. Just so someone has said it. Are you sure he's not, you know –" she couldn't find the words delicate enough to express what she meant.

"Stringing me along? Playing me?" Hermione finished for her. "I don't think there is an instant when my mind _doesn't_ wonder that. But I keep going through every moment, every look, and there is nothing there to give me any doubt. If he's playing me, then he's extremely good at it."

Ginny looked worried. "He is a Malfoy Hermione."

"I know. But he's different. It's like he shows a side of himself to me and only to me. A side that nobody else sees. Everyone else just sees the cold and indifferent Draco Malfoy. But he can be so sweet, funny, gentle and playful at the same time. He treats me like … like I'm special."

"Oh wow."

"Yeah."

There was a beat of silence before the two of them burst out laughing at the absurdity of the situation. Sentimentality was neither one of their strongest traits.

"So do Ron and Harry know about this?"

Hermione snorted.

"You think that if they did, Draco would still be in one piece? No, I think it's best to keep this from them. At least until I know what _this_ is exactly."

"What do you mean?"

"Well we haven't even addressed it really …"

"Hermione! What do you expect?! Grand gestures? Him declaring his undying love for you?! He's a guy! It's enough that he hasn't acted like a complete jerk – yet."

"Thanks for filling me with confidence Ginny. And it sounds to me like you have some experience in all matters of romance?" Hermione asked slyly.

"Ha! Don't get me started on it!"

However, this was the very thing that got Ginny started on it. An 'it' that lasted until dinner-time.

That night, Hermione lay awake in her bed, thinking about her conversation with Ginny. It felt better to know that someone other than her knew what she was feeling for Draco, how she enjoyed spending time with him, how he was so different towards her, how he treated her with respect, how she was starting to fall for him …


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I am so so so sorry for the lack of updates. But there has been uni and all that jazz. But I'm on holidays now, which means that I will definitely see this thing finished off! I promise!**

"_Don't do this."_

"_Draco, you know the rules. You disobey me and you face the punishment."_

"_You son of a bitch."_

"_There's no point arguing really, you knew full well you had this coming. There will come a time, you know, that occasions such as these will be considered fairly mild in comparison to what would happen, should you cross the Dark Lord."_

"_I hate you"_

"_Now you do. But you will thank me later for this. I am sure of it. Crucio!"_

Hermione woke up screaming, her voice mingling with the yells from her dreams.

…………………………………

"What happened last night Hermione?"

A bleary eyed Hermione walked down the stairs to breakfast and the worried stares of her two best friends. Severely shaken, she tried her best to appear nonchalant.

"Oh, bad nightmare. Dreamt that I completely failed N.E.W.T.s."

The two boys chuckled good-humouredly and Hermione breathed an inward sigh of relief. Hopefully this was enough to throw off any of their suspicions and how would they guess anyway? Everybody knew that the thing Hermione cared most about was schoolwork.

As the Weasleys began to slowly file down for breakfast, everyone asked after her, trying to make sure everything was okay. Hermione replied as carelessly as she could, embarrassed, but also grateful at their show of concern. However, it was Ginny that Hermione most wanted to talk to. After waking poor Ginny up with her screams the night before, Hermione had sobbed and sobbed on her shoulder before falling asleep again, exhausted.

After finishing her breakfast, Hermione was still unable to shake the iciness of the first voice and the pure dread and defeat in the other from her troubled mind. She had to go outside for some air and away from the stares of everyone else. Surreptitiously motioning to Ginny, Hermione left the table, placed her dish in the sink and walked out the kitchen door into the crisp, winter morning. Blessing Mr. Weasley's enchantment of the grounds around the Burrow that kept it at a bearable temperature, Hermione waited.

"Hey, what happened last night?"

This time, Hermione was a lot less reticent in answering the question truthfully.

"Oh, something terrible Ginny! I couldn't see anything, it was like everything was darkness at first, but there were voices. Draco's voice and, what I'm pretty sure was his father's voice too. He was threatening him with the Cruciatus Curse, and it was just so real Giinny! I'm afraid that he might be hurt!"

"Woah, slow down there. This was in your dream right? That's what all of this is Hermione! A dream."

"But it was so real – "

"No buts Hermione. And aren't you the one that doesn't believe in all this predicting-the-future-through-premonitions stuff? You walked out of Trelawney's class for goodness sake!"

It was then that Hermione realised she had been shaking all this time. Her body was tense and her breathing erratic. Taking a deep breath, she tried to stop this. Ginny came up to her and gave her a hug.

"Everything's okay. Nothing has happened to him. Appeal to your all powerful sense of rationality Hermione. Premonitions do not randomly occur in people's dreams, and even if they do, they aren't always accurate. And it's not like you're a Seer or anything!" She pulled back and laughed.

Hermione could only manage a weak laugh. The problem was that it was her sense of rationality that persuaded her to believe that something terrible had really happened to Draco.

"…_occasions such as these will be considered fairly mild in comparison to what would happen, should you cross the Dark Lord."_

She just couldn't help thinking about that cold and cruel tone addressing his son.

**A/N: Thank you so so so much for any readers who still stuck by me!**


	15. Chapter 15

It was New Year morning. The Weasleys, plus Hermione, Harry and a few dozen party guests had spent a glorious night of festivity. A lot of people had showed up at the Burrow the night before, and some were even still sleeping there, too inebriated to Apparate properly back home.

Hermione smiled at the memory of all the joy and laughter they had shared the night before. It had been a wonderful way to ring in the New Year that was for sure. However, more often than she'd cared to realise, Hermione's thoughts had wandered to Draco and at how he was spending his New Year's Eve in that cold manor of his. He was never far from her thoughts and Hermione was starting to get impatient for the holidays to be over. She wished he were here.

Tip-toeing silently down the stairs and out the kitchen door, Hermione went without breakfast this morning, knowing that Mrs. Weasley was not in the condition to be preparing breakfast. Still, it was early and Hermione could fix herself something later on. But right now, she had more pressing matters to attend to.

Breathing in the chill-but-bearable air, Hermione settled herself in a secluded corner of the Weasley's garden. With an unconscious smile playing on her lips, she took off her mittens and opened the clean, crisp, white envelope that she had with her. Her heart was beating wildly as one hand opened the letter and the other reached for the silver pendant at her neck.

_Hermione,_

_You have no idea how unbelievably good it felt to write that. You're probably wondering what's up with all this mystery of opening letters at a predetermined date. Or not, you could possibly be reading this as I'm walking away. If so, then shame on you Granger for not being able to follow a simple instruction! But I know that as a Gryffindor, but more importantly, as yourself, you will keep to your word._

_The reason for this letter is that, I was never good at expressing how I feel in words. I know it sounds so completely corny, but it's true. Men are no better at explaining their feelings than women are at … okay, I better stop there because I know that anything I say after that will get me in trouble._

_I know that there is something between us Hermione, not even you can deny it. And I want that something to work between us. I can't seem to stop wanting to be with you Hermione. Every time I'm not with you, I look forward to that time when I will. Hell, I'm even looking forward to _extra schoolwork_, just so I can spend time with you. And that has to be worth something._

_Whenever I'm with you Hermione, I feel … real. I don't know. So much of my life, of what I know, is based on not letting my emotions show, to not show any weakness. But with you it's so different. I feel liberated. I feel like I can be myself. And it is your goodness, your passion for life, your desire to see the good in everything that does this to me._

_I can't wait until term resumes when I can see you again. All the moments that I'm not with you, I think about you. I think about what it's like for you to call me by my name, I think about what its like to hold you, to kiss you again._

_So, take the remaining holiday time to think over this. To think over about us. Because I really want there to be an 'us'._

_Draco_

_PS. I picked New Years Day for no special purpose. _

As Hermione neared the end of the letter, she realised that her heart was beating wildly and that her hands were shaking from giddiness. She had no idea that Draco felt so … strongly for her. But it was at that moment that she realised she felt exactly the same. Moments did not pass for very long where she wasn't thinking about him and aching to get back to Hogwarts.

It was the most touching and heartfelt letter that Hermione had ever read. Truth be told, it was the first love letter Hermione had ever received and she found that she rather liked the feeling it gave her. That someone out there felt so deeply about her, enough to write something like this, declaring his feelings for her. It was, definitely the most romantic thing that had ever happened to Hermione.

"Yes, there will definitely be an "us" when term resumes," she smiled to herself as she carefully folded back up the letter. She was sure to peruse over that many more times before she saw Draco again.


	16. Chapter 16

Never had Hermione been so happy to return back to Hogwarts. As their carriage took them closer to the school, just seeing the old castle rising over the hill made Hermione giddy. But even with all the happiness she felt, Hermione was still sick with fear as to what her dream had meant. Despite Ginny's insistence that it was just that, Hermione could not be fully placated and so thought about Draco more than ever.

"Now I know how excited you are to start classes again and have more homework to do Hermione, but your excitement is just distasteful" said Ron, scrunching up his nose.

"Oh leave her alone!" said Ginny, shoving her brother violently, so much so that the entire carriage rocked dangerously. "You can't blame someone for wanting to get away from living with you 24/7!"

Just as Ron was about to open his mouth and start what would most likely be a famous Weasley Sibling Row, Harry played the role of mediator once again.

"Not now! Can't we just start the new term in some semblance of peace you guys?"

Ron and Ginny spent the rest of the trip death glaring one another, but Hermione was glad that Ginny had gotten Ron off her back for her.

For the remainder of their holidays, Hermione had discussed over Draco's letter with Ginny, knowing that she would be the only one who'd understand. They had both decided to keep whatever there was between her and Draco away from the boys. Truly, it was the only safe thing to do.

They had made it to the giant oak doors leading into the Entrance Hall. The warmth and the smell of food enticed the students into the bright candlelit castle. Everyone practically bounded out of the carriages and through the doors. Hermione followed everyone else's leads, impatiently scanning the crowd for a pale blonde individual. Her search, however, turned fruitless as she was slowly shunted by the mass of students towards the Great Hall for dinner. Growing more and more alarmed, Hermione followed the crowd, resolved as to not seeing him tonight. She had only caught the familiar glimpse of the Hall when she felt a hand grasp her left elbow and pull her forcefully. Before she could even make a sound of protest, she found herself face to face with the person who'd been on her mind for so long.

She smiled, suddenly feeling dizzy at their close proximity. Relief washed over her as he smirked at her and lead her around the corner away from the others. She followed him willingly, relieved that he didn't look hurt or worse.

"I needed to see you, to talk to you as soon as I could" he said breathlessly before kissing her. Hermione was glad that they had rounded the corner by then, away from the prying eyes of her peers, because what they did for the next few minutes was not something she would've liked them witnessing.

Draco finally came up for air, and Hermione found herself sandwiched between his body and the wall behind her. He kept close to her, his fingers entangled in her hair.

"So did you get my letter?"

She nodded.

"And?"

"Do you really need an answer? Because what you just did certainly points to "not really, I'll do whatever I damn please!"

He looked down and smiled bashfully.

"You have me there, that's true. But I'd still like an answer. I want to hear you say it."

Hermione softly giggled, incredulous at his incredible arrogance, but somehow not minding it. Not minding it at all.

"I want there to be an 'us'" was all she whispered before closing the distance between them and kissing him again.

It was Draco who pulled away first, some moments later.

"We need to get back, if we're not to draw any attention" he said softly to her, his eyes a little dazed and breathing irregular. It gave Hermione tingles up her spine to know that she was the one who'd caused his eyes to lose focus when he stepped back to straighten his clothes.

He looked at her blushing face and stepped closer once again.

"If I didn't say this before, I'll say it now. This looks absolutely beautiful on you." He indicated towards the pendant around her neck. She touched it unconsciously, used to the feel of every curve and edge against her fingers.

"It was my great grandmother's you know. It's something that has been in the family for ages believe it or not. It's also probably the only Malfoy possession that doesn't look totally evil."

Hermione laughed at this and kissed him sweetly.

"Thank you."

She smiled at him before leaving. They both knew that they could not enter the Hall and be seen together.

"Where were you?!" whispered Harry as Hermione took her place next to him.

"I jus had to talk to Professor McGonagall for a moment about the section she told us to cover over the holidays. I think there was a mistake with – "

"Okay okay! We were just worried!" Harry interrupted quickly, not wanting to hear anymore when he heard the phrase "told us to cover over the holidays."

Hermione was glad that she had told such a liable story to cover her absence, which was to made to look even more legit when McGonagall strode into the Hall moments later. Hermione beamed happily at the other students, positively glowing. Everyone regarded this as Hermione's usual back to school happiness, and so was unfazed by it. That is except for Ron who sat back and glared at her most suspiciously.

It was a few days before Hermione broached the subject with Draco that had been worrying her all holidays. She had no idea what to say, but knew she had to say something.

It was another ordinary evening after dinner when they were to be found in their workroom above the Library.

"So during the Christmas holidays, I had a dream."

Draco slowly looked up from his work.

"And did this dream feature yours truly?" he asked with a smirk at her.

Hermione shifted uncomfortably. He was too close to the truth.

"Yes" she replied uncertainly. Looking at Draco, she noticed that he looked at her with an expression she couldn't quite place, but it unsettled her somewhat. She frowned and that inexplicable expression was quickly replaced with genuine concern.

"What is it Hermione? You know you can tell me anything."

"In my dream" she began haltingly. "You were being hurt. By your father. With the Cruciatus curse" she finished in almost a whisper. She didn't want him to confirm that this was real, but at the same time, she didn't want to hear that what she felt was so real to be false. Hermione couldn't bear the idea that Draco was being hurt and that she couldn't do anything about it. Tears started to blur her vision that she impatiently brushed away.

"Hermione", he just said her name. But the pain and fear evident in it made Hermione search his face for a hint of his thoughts, for anything really. And what she saw confirmed her worse fears.

"It was real wasn't it?" she said shakily. "Your father was torturing you with the Cruciatus curse?" she was horrified.

Draco didn't say anything, but continued to look down, facing away from Hermione, composing himself.

Hermione did not know what to do or say. She went over to him and held him.

"He can't do this."

She felt sick. She felt utterly helpless. How can someone go through this? Grow up in an environment like this? Her heart filled with pity and she held Draco tighter than ever.

Draco told Hermione what it was like growing up under his father's rule. As a child he was beaten, but when he grew up too much for that, Lucius used the illegal curse instead. Hermione listened with sorrow and pity, revulsion for his parents rising up within her. It was a finely woven tale that Draco delivered with the perfect amount of delicacy and finesse to pull even the most stone-cold heartstrings. Hermione was no match for it and so grew to care and love more than ever this tortured individual in front of her. She would always be the one that he could turn to. And it touched her that she was the one who he was pouring all this out to, possibly for the first time.

The next few weeks of Hermione's life were some of the best and years on, Hermione would smile at the memories fondly as she recalled a young girl, lost in the throes of her first love. Hermione and Draco's relationship progressed as well as could be hoped for. He was sweet, charming and gentle with her; everything that was described in her books, songs and movies, Hermione was living it. Everything was utterly perfect. They had even managed to keep their relationship a secret from the rest of the school, something that was relatively hard to do in a place where its 500 or so inhabitants thrived on gossip. Hermione had gotten better and better at lying to her friends, something that had at first caused her gut to twinge in guilt, a twinge that soon subsided into nothingness. Soon, lying became second nature to her.

Their research project had not been abandoned though. Entirely abandoned that is. A private room for just the two of them was too much of a temptation to pass up. Whenever they had the opportunity to get some work done, however, what the two of them had found was extraordinarily dull.

"Does this look the same as you?" Draco asked one night, holding up a scroll that indeed looked the same to Hermione.

"Here, let me see" she said, holding out her hand. He passed it towards her and she scanned it.

"Hmm, it seems that Schott relied on only one code for his entire collection. That seems really stupid, and therefore somewhat in character for him."

Draco chuckled and took the scroll back.

"Then why are we doing this? I mean, anyone can now easily translate what's left once the Key has been worked out. And we have worked out the Key. I'm beginning to believe there's not much worth in these Scrolls" Draco sighed in frustration, running his fingers through his hair.

Hermione could only watch him amusedly, wanting so badly to just go over where he was and touch the hair that he had just messed up. But she pulled herself together and took a despairing look at the half dozen full trunks still waiting to be translated. Hermione was never one to be a pessimist, but at this moment she was in total agreement with Draco. Schott's notes and diaries were clearly the ravings of a madman. They possessed charms that either worked or didn't and if they did, held very little use to the wizarding community. And in the midst of what they could understand were non-sequiturs about something that Schott referred to as simply as 'The Fourth."

"Could be anything really" Draco once said. "His fourth pet hamster that died when he was little, the fourth hedge he saw, the fourth day in spring, anything! Whenever it's mentioned, it's usually in the midst of complete and utter nonsense!"

Hermione smiled at this memory as she put her quill down and rolled up the Scroll that she was working on. She slowly walked over to Draco who had given up entirely and had placed his head on his folded arms down on the desk.

Softly, she touched his shoulder.

"It's okay Draco. You never know, something important might just pop up." She couldn't even convince herself with that weary voice.

"I expected so much" his voice was so muffled that Hermione had to bend down to catch what he was saying properly "and now I guess I'm just so…disappointed."

Hermione was lost for words. Something in his voice made her stomach drop rather unpleasantly, but she couldn't say why.

Draco lifted his head back up and blinked a few times before turning to Hermione. He had his usual smirk in place and regarded Hermione in a way that made her blush.

"But if there's one good thing about this now completely pointless project is that it brought me to you" he whispered in a low voice while taking Hermione in his arms. She let herself be led slowly backwards to the couch, while Draco kissed her lips, her warm cheeks and the rising flush up her neck.

…………..

A few hours later found Hermione back in the Gryffindor Common Room. She had another one of Schott's blasted scrolls on her lap and a quill in her hand. While she forced her mind to continue reading and translating the manuscript, it refused to obey her commands and wandered instead to what had occurred between her and Draco only half an hour before.

Draco respected her wishes and kept these, distractions, on a level that Hermione was comfortable with. But her experiences in this field were fairly limited so every moment that she spent with Draco made her gasp in pleasure at the newness of it all.

She tried to keep the grin from her face and managed to do so only by pressing her lips firmly together. It was lucky she did so for she soon heard someone descending the stairs.

"Hermione, you still up?" Ron's sleepy voice drifted slowly down towards her. Hermione arched around the giant armchair she was snugly ensconced in to smile at her friend.

"Yeah, I couldn't sleep and I decided to do some work instead."

Ron rolled his eyes in good nature and smiled back at Hermione. "I'm constantly amazed at you Hermione. Only you can have so much will power and resilience." He made his way towards her and all but flopped down on the armchair across from her.

"You could do by taking a lesson from it, Mr. I-haven't-done-the-Potions-essay-that's-due-in-two-days!"

"Eh, I'll get it done at the end. I always do."

She mock sighed and shook her head disapprovingly. "What are you doing up? I don't suppose you've come down here to work on the essay have you?"

"Nah. I couldn't sleep because of Neville's incessant snoring. You'd think I'd be used to it after seven years right?"

Hermione laughed, a sound that slowly faded as Ron just continued to watch her in a peculiar manner.

"What is it?" she asked softly, somewhat concerned at the way that he was staring at her, as if he'd only just seen something in her.

"It's just been a long time since I've heard you laugh. Since any of us actually."

"What? That's not true! I laugh all the time!"

"That's not what I mean Hermione, and you know that. We never see you any more."

"I see you all the time!"

"Yeah, in class, at lunch and in this room." He leaned forward in his seat towards her, resting his elbows on his knees. "But we never see you anymore Hermione. When was the last time we ever did something non-school related? Just the three of us – you, Harry and me."

Hermione opened her mouth and was about to protest, but halted when she realised that she didn't have an answer to his question. Her mind wandered back to the past few weeks. She'd been busy with homework, NEWTS were coming up, she had her research project with Draco. Draco. Did Ron know? Did he suspect something?

"I've been busy with work. We all have, Ron." Was all she could stammer back, looking uncertainly in his eyes that betrayed nothing of what he thought to her.

Ron sat back in his seat again, and if possible, sagged further into it.

"Okay Hermione. You're right. We all have a lot of work to do. Just know that Harry and I, we're your friends. We've always been at each others sides. And I know that a lot of times, things haven't gone smoothly, but at the end, we're there for each other, you know?" he said resignedly as he stood back up.

Hermione was somewhat stunned at this eloquent and sincere display of what she thought was non-existent or in rather short supply – Ron's feelings. But what wasn't said was certainly implied _"We're your friends so you should tell us what is happening, we have a right to know."_

"I thought you said you couldn't stand Neville's snoring" said Hermione suddenly at Ron's retreat back up the stairs.

His voice was burdened with tiredness and a flatness that stung Hermione "I'll probably just put a Silencing Charm on him. It always gives him a fright when he can't talk in the morning."

She sat there a moment longer, contemplating on what had just passed. Was she really neglecting her friends because of Draco? And did they suspect something? She suddenly found herself extremely tired as she felt the beginnings of a headache behind her eyes. She rubbed the bridge of her nose.

_And what would be so bad about them knowing anyway? Draco is a completely different person now. He stopped his taunts against Harry and Ron and no longer terrorised the younger students._

But even still, how would my two best friends take it that I've been lying to them all this time? And that Ginny had been in on it the whole time?

Hermione had no answers to this so she made her way slowly up the stairs to bed, unconsciously fingering the pendant Draco had given her. She'd worn it underneath her robes at all times, so as to not draw attention to it. It was like their little secret, a secret that she always kept near her heart.

Author Thanks To -

'i think this is great' - Thanks for being my 100th reviewer!! Wow! Can't believe I got up to triple digits! Thank you so much for your great review!!

FrostedCurtains - Thanks for your review! Awww, I like the good guy side of Draco too!!


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: I've totally given into the inevitable ... yeah.**

When Hermione descended the stairs to the Common Room on one cold morning, she detected a larger amount of chatter than usual. Girls were huddled in groups talking excitedly, which brought to mind the one and only occasion that merited this vision – the Yule Ball during their Fourth Year.

Heading over to one of these groups that included Lavender and Parvati, Hermione asked them what was going on.

"Haven't you heard? Rumour is that there will be another Yule Ball to be held next week!"

"Where did you hear this?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"Someone heard a house-elf mutter about the extra work they had to do."

Indignation rose up within Hermione. How could it be tolerated that more work was to be placed on beings who were little more than slaves? She felt that as her duty as a concerned student and founder of S.P.E.W, she would have to say something to Professor Dumbledore about this. In a haze of anger, she left the girls and marched out to breakfast.

That night, it was confirmed by Professor Dumbledore himself that there was to be a Yule Bal to be held that year. While obviously there was no Triwizard Tournament being held, many suspected that this was a ploy of Dumbledore's to keep the threat of Voldemort in the outside world away from the students' minds. Hermione believed this to be true as it served to keep as many students at Hogwarts during the Christmas break under Dumbledore's protection.

After dinner, Hermione decided to have an early night in. As she walked up to her dormitory, she could hear her dorm mates up there already, chattering excitedly about the Ball.

"Great, just what I need. Another week of endless discussions about dresses, make-up and boys."

And it was true. As she got ready for bed, all she heard was Lavender's incessant chatter about those very three subjects. Finally, as Hermione knew it would, the discussion turned to her.

"So Hermione, since there are no international Quidditch stars here, who do you want to go to the Ball with?" Parvati asked.

"Yeah, you'll just have to make do with the boys here" giggled Lavender.

"Honestly, don't you care that the house-elves are now forced to stay up longer and work harder than ever just so we can have this Ball? There's extra planning, cooking, cleaning and decorating to be done! It's completely unfair that they're being made to do all of this when they're not even paid and they can't even say no to it! They are physically unable to say no to an order! Doesn't this bother either of you?" she asked indignantly from her bed.

Lavender gaped at her. "Only you Hermione can turn a fun filled festivity into a political vendetta."

Hermione opened her mouth to argue back, but before the words could come out, Parvati interjected. Perhaps she realised that if Hermione was allowed to speak, there would be an argument.

"Lavender would love to go the Ball with a certain Draco Malfoy", her eyes twinkled mischievously.

"Yeah, well, who wouldn't?!"

Hermione blushed as she got into bed.

It was going to be a long week.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Two chapters in the space of one! How cool is that?!**

It was after dinner and Hermione and Draco were both to be found in their room atop the Library once again.

This time, unlike many another, they were actually working on their set task of translating the Scrolls.

"Eurgh, again with all of this the 'Fourth' stuff! What do you think this actually means? It's like Schott is pointing us to something, but what?" Hermione began to grow frustrated with Schott's tantalising mysteries.

"You've found another mention?" Draco replied, sharply interested.

"Yeah…" Hermione hesitated, somewhat struck by Draco's sudden keen interest on the matter.

"Here it mentions something about the fourth child of the four parents. But that's stupid. And unless my knowledge of human biology is really off, I'm sure a kid can't have four parents!"

Draco made his way over to Hermione's side of the desk and leant over her shoulder to look at what she had written. Hermione was extremely aware of his presence and began to lean back, just ever so slightly. She turned her face to his and watched his pale blue eyes narrow in concentration, lost in the Scroll in front of her. Laboriously, Hermione tore her eyes away from Draco's handsome features and turned back to the Scroll in front of her.

"Unless…it's some sort of metaphor. Or perhaps even a riddle? Schott may not be as crackheaded as we once thought. Perhaps he was really onto somet-"

Her musings out loud were cut short when Draco suddenly started to kiss the tender exposed part of her neck. She gasped and giggled as he picked her lightly up off the chair and span her around, finally kissing her on the mouth. He slowly and gently began to push her back onto the large couch in front of the fire. When they got there, Hermione pulled away and looked at Draco with all the trust in the world in her eyes.

"I do believe you're trying to distract me from my work Mr. Malfoy" she said breathlessly, playfully.

"And who's to say that the distraction isn't a welcome one?" Draco asked back mischievously.

Hermione laughed softly as she slowly lay back onto the couch with Draco following her, kissing her slowly and carefully, taking each and every moment to caress her body so as to remember every curve. Hermione moaned in pleasure as Draco's hands roamed lower and lower down her sides, finally getting to the hem of her shirt. He slowly pushed her shirt up and as Hermione felt his warm hand on her stomach, she took a sharp intake of breath. Draco froze, knowing that he had gone somewhat too far. He pulled back and studied her features carefully beneath him. The tension in the air of Hermione's unspoken plea and Draco's understanding was palpable.

Draco sat up and got off of her. "I'm sorry. I know we're going a little too fast for you. If I'm going too far, please, don't hesitate to say something. I can wait." He grinned at her "because I know it'll be worth it."

Hermione blushed and silently nodded. She didn't know what to say. This was her first time in a situation like this and she knew that she had to take it slow, otherwise it'll be all over her head. And she didn't want to embarrass herself with someone who was so much more…experienced than her.

Draco, guessing some of her concerns said "You have absolutely nothing to worry about."

She smiled at him, finally comfortable again.

"So" Draco began, trying to get the situation back to some sort of normalcy. "This Yule Ball thing is coming up. Planning on going with some international Quidditch superstar?"

Hermione groaned. "Oh, you're like the third person this week who has asked me this!" She took the pillow next to her and thumped him playfully in the face with it.

"Oh! Is that how we're going to play this?!" Draco's surprised face said. He took up a nearby pillow and as Hermione screamed in laughter, blocking her face with her arms, Draco swung the pillow but stopped mere inches from her.

"Lucky for you, I am a gentleman and not in the habit of hitting girls."

Hermione giggled. "So what about you then? Who are you planning on going with?"

"Well there was this one Gryffindor girl who I had my eye on, but she does seem to get rather violent at times."

She thumped him again with the pillow.

"Hey! No fair! Just because I can't get you, doesn't mean you can just go around hitting me!"

"I thought you were a Slytherin! Use every means possible to get the advantage, that sorta thing!"

"And you're a Gryffindor! What about nobility and chivalry and all that talk?" he said mock indignantly.

"Well I guess you're rubbing off on me then!" she laughed. She then sobered for a moment before saying quietly.

"I heard you were going with Pansy." It was true. With Parvati and Lavender as dorm-mates, Hermione heard her fair share of the Hogwarts gossip. Only a last night was Lavender bemoaning this very fact.

"Where did you hear that?" Draco asked her sharply while his eyes bored into her. She couldn't bring herself to face him.

"Word gets around", her voice almost became inaudible. She didn't want to show him that she was scared that this was the very thing that would happen. That he would come to his senses, stop seeing Hermione and instead, ditch her for someone more…appropriate.

"I think that's what she thinks."

He laughed before noticing her wincing features. He turned and looked at her seriously.

"I want to go with you Hermione, but – "

"We'd probably be stared at by the entire school for the entire night and never hear the end of it from our friends for the next, oh rest of the year"

"Exactly." He sounded pained.

"Then we are in a bit of a quandary aren't we?" Hermione was sorely disappointed that the idea of dressing in a nice dress, getting her hair and make up done up and dancing the night away with Draco would never occur under these circumstances. But she felt that she hid these thoughts from him under this playful façade rather well.

"Yes" Draco's voice lowered to a whisper as he took Hermione's hands into his. He slowly brought them to his lips and began to softly kiss each and every one of Hermione's fingers, a sensation that sent shivers of delight down her spine.

She shut her eyes and revelled in the feeling of being so loved and cared for.

"What are we going to do?" she asked. Her question did not only pertain to tomorrow night, the night of the Ball, but of the somewhat unique situation they were in.

"I don't know. But whatever we're going to do, we're going to do together." He let go of her hands and Hermione opened her eyes.

They smiled at each other. He led her to the table and they began to pack their things away, calling it a night.

**Review me! Tell me what you think of the story! Yay!**

**Author Thanks To** -

**PinkSparklesBlackCats** - Thanks for reviewing! I'm trying to make it as sweet and mushy as ever, because really, who doesn't love that? I'll try to keep up!

**DracoMalfoyLover1996 - **Wow, I just blushes thank you so so so much for your kind words! Hahaha, Hermione is kissing _your_ future husband! I think you'll have a few people who think otherwise!! I don't know about being as good as JK, because come on! I'm just a kid really! Awww, sorry for making you cry! Here's a tissue and a cookie!


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Aren't these super fast chapter updates great? Hee!**

It was 3pm of the night of the Ball and Hermione was to be found in her dormitory, on her bed with her Transfiguration homework around her. However, she couldn't concentrate much, what with all the ruckus that was around her.

"Oooohh, you look beautiful!" Parvati squealed when she saw Lavender in her dress.

"Thank you!" she gushed, looking at herself in the mirror.

Hermione sighed and shut her Transfiguration textbook, giving up. She got off her bed and walked over to where her fellow dorm-mates were getting ready for a Ball that she would not be attending.

She refused to wallow in a pit of her own self-pity, and instead decided to be proactive and do some extra Transfiguration study. There would be other Balls and other opportunities.

It was true. Lavender did indeed look beautiful. She wore an elaborately beaded black gown that swished and swooshed as she moved.

"You do look amazing Lavender!" Hermione smiled at her.

Even though Hermione adopted a rather cavalier attitude about the whole ordeal, she was still a teenage girl and couldn't help feeling a horrible pang of jealousy. She just wanted to go! Was that such a bad thing to desire?

"Thank you Hermione! It's so sad that you're not coming! I so wish you were! It's going to be so much fun!"

Lavender was going with Ron and Harry managed to the courage to ask Cho to the Ball.

Hermione smiled wryly. "Yeah I know." Sometimes her friends could be so tactless.

"Okay, my turn!" Parvati said as she dashed into the bathroom to change into her dress.

……………………………..

Towards 5pm, Hermione said her goodbyes to the two girls and wished Ron and Harry luck, giving them tips on how NOT to treat their dates this time. She sent them off with a hearty cheer and a happy exterior, but inside, her heart was breaking. Harry sent one last concerned glance her way as he stepped out of the Portrait Hole, but Hermione had already turned her steps up the dormitory, wiping away the tears from her eyes.

When she got to her bed, she collapsed onto it and began to cry in earnest into her pillow. She had no idea why she was taking this so badly. So she couldn't go to the Ball with Draco, big deal. She'd still see him the next day. But it was the fact that this may be the very problem with their relationship – that they'd never be able to tell the rest of the world about it.

Hermione had finally managed to pull herself together and was startled when she heard a small 'ahem!'

She looked around the dark dormitory and soon found two giant orbs reflecting the full moon outside. The small voice came from a house elf at the edge of her bed.

"Dobby! What are you doing here?!"

"Dobby is here to give you this Miss!" At that, he held out his arms, in which was a large parcel. She quickly took the heavy and large package from him.

"How are you Dobby? How is everything down in the kitchens? I'm so sorry I haven't been able to visit much lately, I've just been so busy!"

"Dobby has been working very hard Miss and is very much enjoying saving his money and buying clothes! Dobby has even got Winky to stop drinking so much Butterbeer!"

"That's great Dobby, that really is!" Hermione replied happily. She soon looked down at the parcel in her hands, confused.

"Who did you say this was from Dobby?"

"Dobby didn't Miss! But it's from Draco Malfoy – Dobby's old master" he added darkly.

Hermione was taken aback but delighted at receiving a gift from Draco.

"Oh, he wasn't nasty to you was he Dobby?"

At that, Dobby's large eyes bulged. He made a strange gurgling noise in his throat and looked as if he were choking. Hermione panicked and asked what the matter was, grabbing her wand in case there was something nefarious afoot. For a few agonizing moments, it seemed as if Dobby fought with himself, while Hermione watched on helplessly. Finally, Dobby managed to get a hold of himself and with watering eyes blurted out -

"Hurry! Open your gift!"

"Why? What's in it?" Hermione was confused at Dobby's agitated state.

"I don't know Miss! All Dobby was told was to instruct Miss Hermione to hurry in opening the gift! Now I must get back into the kitchens because it's very busy down there!"

He disappeared with a loud _crack!_ before Hermione could even say goodbye.

Hermione sat for a few moments, puzzling over Dobby's more-than-unusual behaviour. Why had he acted that way when she asked how Draco had treated him? About to follow down this dark avenue of thought, something within her changed and she suddenly had a large inclination to just follow Dobby's advice and open the gift. She looked down at the large parcel in her hands. It was a large blue box with a white gauze ribbon around it. She took it to the window to see it better in the moonlight. Taking the ribbon off, she opened the box to find red satin. Her brow crinkled in confusion as she took it out to reveal a beautiful red dress. She gasped and noticed a small piece of paper dropping to the floor from within the folds of the dress. She picked it up and lit a candle so that she might read it. It said –

_Hermione,_

_Since we can't go to the Ball, I don't see why we can't have our own Ball together._

_Meet me at our room above the Library at 7._

_Draco_

Hermione looked at her watch. It was a quarter past 6. She had 45 minutes. She laughed as an effervescent joy bubbled up inside of her. She tried to contain her excitement as she raced to put on the dress, do her make up and get her hair under control.

She couldn't believe the spontaneity and the romance of the situation. Her hands trembled as she went to brush her hair at the thought of Draco planning all of this – for her. Every few moments, she felt like laughing out loud, and because she was alone in the dorm, she indulged in this whole-heartedly.

It was 5 to seven when Hermione felt she was ready. Even with magic, she was pressed for time, but she managed to get everything done. The dress that Draco had chosen out for her was much more revealing that anything she would've chosen for herself. It revealed her back entirely, down to her lower back with only small straps down the sides holding it up. The front dipped down quite low in the neckline, but the rest of the dress fit her perfectly, with a slight train at the back. It hugged every curve of her body snugly to flare at the hips with generous folds of material. It was a very eye-catching shade of red that she tried to match with her lipstick. Her hair was curled slightly and she didn't have to do much with it as it already had a natural wave. But it was smooth and sleek instead of its usual frizzy self. With her hair down, she didn't have to wear earrings, her only piece of jewellery was the pendant that Draco had given her for Christmas which the plunging neckline showed off quite well. It was a simple elegance that suited Hermione; nothing too flashy, it evoked a sense of old Hollywood glamour. With a small excited giggle to herself, Hermione tottered down the stairs in her heels to the Library.

She tried to make as little noise as she could and wished she had Harry's Invisibility Cloak as she was scared that someone might catch her wandering the corridors all dressed up so far away from the Great Hall where the Ball was taking place. Butterflies filled her stomach as she half-ran to the Library.

Finally, she got to the door above the Library of their room. She took a deep breath before turning the handle. It was lucky that she did, because what she saw next took it away.

The room was entirely transformed so as to make it almost unrecognisable. The doors to the balcony were thrown open, making the room more spacious than it actually seemed. A large area in the middle was cleared away and there sat a magnificent table laden with food and lit by candles. Sumptuous scarlet and gold tapestries hung on the walls of the room that along with the candles in the delicate braziers, gave it a Moroccan air. It was warm and the incense burning made it smell absolutely beautiful and somewhat exotic. And there on the balcony, in the moonlight, looking as handsome as ever, was Draco waiting for her.

He turned and smiled at her, moving slowly towards her.

"What do you think?" Hermione fancied that she saw a rather questioning and small look of worry in his eyes.

"It's absolutely beautiful!" she whispered breathlessly, looking around her. She felt so overwhelmed by what was around her that she found herself hesitating to touch anything.

"I could say the same thing" Draco's eyes twinkled as he came up to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"The dress looks absolutely perfect on you. You look amazing." He kissed her softly and Hermione felt herself melt under his soft caresses.

"I can't believe you did all of this."

"Well, I wanted to spend this night with you. And seeing as how we couldn't go down there together, I decided to bring a bit of that up here."

Hermione was so overwhelmed by all this attention that was paid to her and felt deeply gratified by it all. He took her hand into his and led her out onto the balcony. Music from below drifted out into the garden and up to their ears. It was a slow waltz. Draco took Hermione's hands and softly, slowly danced with her underneath the moonlight. Hermione could almost feel her heart break from the romance of it all. She sighed.

"Something troubling you?" Draco whispered into her hair, his warm breath on her neck and his hand on her bare back causing her pleasant tingles around her body.

"Hardly" she laughed, utterly carefree. "Just wondering where you had managed to stow away all those Scrolls!"

Draco laughed and held her tighter. "Only you Hermione, only you!"

It was getting late and Hermione and Draco could see students coming back from the grounds and back into the castle. They had both enjoyed a delicious dinner, with just the two of them. Hermione's head leant against Draco's shoulder, who stood behind her with his arms wrapped around her body, on the balcony watching the stars. She breathed out, completely content. She never wished for anything to change from this perfect moment.

Draco shifted his hold on Hermione. She turned to face him and was swept up in a passionate kiss. She turned into his body, which completely enveloped her smaller form and gave into him. He kissed her fiercely and Hermione felt every fibre of her body sing with delight at this. She soon found herself leaning into him. He slowly stepped backwards, back into the room, taking her with him. Before she knew it, they were once again on the large, soft couch. Draco gently moved her around so that she was lying on the couch. He settled comfortably on top of her, all the while fixing his loving gaze upon hers. He took her mouth with his again and soon moved his attentions to the sensitive parts of her neck, making Hermione shiver in pleasure. Draco still moved further down her body to the exposed cleavage of her dress while his hands moved beneath her dress and up her smooth, bare legs. Hermione was soon flushed from these ministrations and shifted to a more comfortable position beneath him. This made Draco stop and look up at her. There was a hidden question in his eyes.

"Hermione, please tell me now if you want to go further, because if you don't it'd be entirely okay with me."

For the first time, Hermione felt a little inkling of fear at what was being asked. She knew exactly what would happen that night if she were to say yes.

The circumstances were so perfect. She loved Draco, she knew that now. And he loved her, even if he didn't express it in so many words. But for some reason, she wasn't entirely ready.

She looked down, avoiding Draco's gaze.

"I'm sorry Draco, I don't think I can. I'm not just ready yet."

Draco pulled away from her to sit up. As she look up, she thought she saw a dark anger in his eyes that vanished as soon as he realised he was looking at her. The small glimpse of this chilled Hermione to the bone. But in an instant it was gone and Draco took her hands in to his again.

"That's perfectly fine Hermione. I'm not going to try and force anything on you. When you're ready, you know I'll be waiting." He smiled softly at her and kissed her gently again.

Hermione, relieved at this, broke softly away from him.

"Thank you for understanding."

She smiled before tearing herself away from him and wishing him a goodnight.

As she walked back to the Common Room in a daze, she still couldn't shake an uneasiness that still hadn't left her since seeing that look on Draco's face when she refused him.

_Was he disappointed? But why would he react in such a way?_ Something in his countenance frightened Hermione and it occurred to her never to want to invoke that in him again.

_But it changed so quickly._ Again that old fear of hers resurfaced. _If he could change his expressions so easily so as to convince me entirely, who's to say that this isn't all some elaborate joke?_

But as soon as she thought this to herself, memories of the evening she had just spent with Draco seemed to banish all these doubts away.

As easy as that.

"I cannot believe he did that!" Ginny sighed, stretching herself out on Hermione's bed.

"I know" moaned Hermione contentedly.

It was the afternoon after and the sleepy students of the Gryffindor tower were having a very late start after last night's festivities.

"It's so perfect! Like a fairytale!" Ginny said.

Hermione smiled at the younger girl's assessment of the situation, for she agreed with it completely.

"But enough about me, how was your night?"

Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Not as great as yours! Oh don't get me wrong, Dean was the perfect gentleman, but I don't know. I don't think I like him the way he likes me."

Hermione nodded sympathetically. Ginny groaned in frustration and muffled by the pillow she had buried her face in, Hermione could just make out – "why can't the boys you like, like you back?"

Hermione nodded sympathetically, looking for all the world like a concerned friend. But inside she was far away, in a daydream of her own.

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	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: A short chapter – apologies.**

There was a tingle in the air. Summer was fast approaching.

It was a rare and beautiful day out on the Hogwarts grounds, and a day that Draco fully intended to take advantage of. After persuading Hermione to take their work out by the Lake and beneath the shade of a large tree out in the sunshine, the two were found to be working studiously. On appearances at least. Truthfully, they didn't get much work done for their minds kept wandering, with their eyes following the direction of their thoughts.

"Aren't you worried that some people may see us?" Hermione asked Draco after a few moments.

Normally, Draco was extremely cautious about hiding their relationship from everyone else. This suited Hermione just fine. They both understood what they were doing and what the consequences would be if they were found out. Not mentioning the endless gossip and taunts that would surround them, but Hermione suspected that Draco's parents wouldn't be too happy about hearing about their son dating a Muggleborn. They never spoke about this, but Hermione was certain that this was a strong instinct within Draco. For her part, she knew that if her Gryffindor friends ever found out, it'd be seen as a huge betrayal on her part.

While waiting for the answer to her question, something of what Hermione could only describe as a malicious smirk flickered on his face before Draco looked up from his work to face her.

"Hermione, it took me nearly half an hour to persuade you to leave that stuffy old room and come out here. I really don't care if people see us. And if they do, what of it? We're just two model students making the best out of this amazing weather we're having."

Hermione had to agree with this. And it was true. It was extremely pleasant being out here with the breeze gently playing with her hair, carrying on it the faint scent of the mysterious Forbidden Forest. But still, it seemed that Draco could not have chosen a more conspicuous place to 'work'.

She leant back against the tree trunk and found herself watching Draco for a moment. She liked the way his blue eyes focused so intently whenever he was working on something. She liked the way the wind was blowing his soft hair onto his face that she itched to brush from his eyes. Suddenly his brow knotted as if he found something of interest in his work.

"What did you find?" she asked in an almost dazed voice, somewhat instinctively.

He took a moment before answering her. He straightened his features before turning to her and smiling broadly at her.

"Oh it's nothing. Just the same old drivel."

They were sitting side by side with their arms leaning against each other, which drove Hermione mad. Buoyed by the feeling of young love and feeling rather adventurous, she slowly took the parchment and quill from Draco's hand and placed it away from him.

"Hey I was working on that!" he protested.

"I don't care" Hermione whispered, moving closer to him. He smirked and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Knew you couldn't resist me for very long" he said before she kissed him.

Hands roamed, Hermione wasn't sure whose and didn't care much. She was completely lost in the bliss of the moment until –

"Hermione, what the hell do you think you're doing?!"

The two pulled apart from each other as if they'd been electrified. Hermione was pretty sure her heart had jumped out of her ribcage as she nearly jumped a foot away from Draco to face a furious Ron and Harry.

Breathless, she tried to stand up.

"Please, Ron, Harry. It's not what it seems." She had no idea what she was saying.

"I bloody well think it is. It looks like you were snogging Malfoy under a tree for the whole world to see! What the hell are you doing with him?" spat back Ron.

Somewhere in Hermione's frazzled mind, she knew she had to go on the defensive and merge quickly into the offensive.

"I am NOT here for the whole world to see! And what if I was? That is my business and mine only! This has nothing to do with you two!"

Ron opened his mouth and Hermione was pretty certain he was about to start yelling before Harry stopped him and said in a forced manner.

"If you feel that you had to keep this from us, then that is your business."

This left Hermione utterly stunned and she could only watch wordlessly as Harry left her, dragging a murderous Ron who kept casting dangerous looks at Malfoy.

Hermione felt empty as she watched her two best friends walking away from her. How could she have done this to them? She dimly knew that what Harry had said was a calculated move on his part to make her feel guilty, but the fact of the matter was that he was right. She had to make this up to them somehow as she treasured their friendship too much and now realised that she had been taking it for granted.

Draco came up behind her slowly and she only then realised that she had stood frozen to the spot for a good long while.

"Are you okay?" he softly whispered to her, touching her back to comfort her.

"Yeah."

She didn't want to turn and face him, lest he saw the tears in her eyes. She cleared her throat and instead said in a voice that she prayed wouldn't waver.

"I just need some time alone."

With that, she ran.

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**Kailey - **Yes, what is up with that look thing! Hee! So glad you noticed! Thanks for the review!


	21. Chapter 21

The scene in the Common Room that night was not pretty.

"What the hell do you think you're doing with him? He's a Malfoy for God's sake!" Ron yelled.

By this time, the entire school knew about Hermione and Draco, but she found that she didn't care. For one thing, she had had enough of sneaking around corridors and explaining away her constant dreamlike state with lies. That and the end of year was only a week away.

"He's changed! He's not what he was like anymore! You see that don't you? He hasn't picked a fight with either of you for the past year!" Hermione was in tears.

"That still doesn't stop him from being an evil, pathetic, malicious, little git!"

"Don't talk about him that way!"

"You're standing up for him? After all these years, you're defending the one person who has called you a Mudblood? I thought you had more brains than that Hermione!"

"He's not that person anymore!"

"Look" Harry interjected "we're just worried about you. We find it difficult to believe that Draco has completely changed after all these years just like that."

"Or did you think that he changed just because of you? Has it ever occurred to you in that giant brain of yours that he might be up to something?" Ron sneered nastily.

That was the final straw for Hermione. She turned and burst into tears, running up to her dormitory.

She didn't talk to her two best friends for the next week. Despite Ginny's best efforts for reconciliation, both sides were either too stubborn or proud to see the others' point of view. Even Harry, who often saw both sides of the argument and even spoke up for Hermione to Ron at times, completely stopped speaking to her. It seemed that Hermione had gone too far this time and that she had done something unforgivable to Ron and Harry. It wasn't so much that she was in a relationship with a Malfoy, Ginny explained painfully one evening, but that she didn't see fit to tell them or even plan to that annoyed the boys so much. Uncharacteristically for Hermione, she didn't feel obliged to tell them anything as this was her own private manner. Upon telling Ginny this, Ginny blanched and left her tearfully.

"Wow, you really have changed haven't you?" she said bitterly before leaving.

Introspection was something Hermione did more and more each day. It was true that she had changed and that before all of this, she would've told her two best friends about anything and everything. But this time, and she couldn't fully explain why, it was different. And anyway, hadn't she told Ginny all about it? Shared every moment with her? So it wasn't like there was something sinister at hand. Although now Ron wasn't speaking to Ginny either and now Harry was the mediator in _that_ argument. Oh, why did everything have to be so complicated?

Hermione thought back at why she didn't tell Harry and Ron about Draco. It was simple really. They wouldn't understand and would probably beat the tar out of him before she would be able to do anything. And she wanted this to be their little secret. There was something terribly romantic about that.

And then it all came to this. Some part of her that she never knew existed, revolted at the idea of going back to her friends and begging forgiveness, apologising and explaining the matter to them to make them understand her plight and that she hadn't meant them any harm. Why should she be the guilty party? Why should she be the one apologising?

She wasn't sure she liked this new part of herself.

Hermione found, to her surprise, that she could bear this separation rather well. The small feeling of discomfort upon this realization was banished when she ran into Draco's waiting arms. He managed to say all the right things and comfort her in the best way possible. Why did there have to be other people in the world? Why couldn't it just be them, where it was perfect? Somehow, he managed to make Hermione see that her true friends would've stuck by her, no matter what and that she was definitely in the right in this situation. Her years of rationality and logic were swept away as easy as that and she ended up depending on Draco to get through that week as much as she'd ever depended on anyone in her life.

_Has it ever occurred to you in that giant brain of yours that he might be up to something?_

Unfortunately for her, Ron's malicious and careless remark never strayed far from her thoughts, no matter how hard she tried to quash it. Something about this comment seemed to resonate within her, making her see this relationship in another light. But whenever she caught a faint glimpse of that side by the sudden illumination, it seemed to be suddenly clouded as if someone quickly pulled the curtain on her view.

It was the morning of graduation. A ceremony dinner was to take place that night, afterwards which, the parents who came for the presentation would take their children home.

Hermione was to be found for the final time in the workroom that she and Draco had shared. She dug around the boxes confusedly.

"I'm sure I had left it here" she muttered to herself.

Ever since the night of the Ball, she had been having trouble keeping track of which Scrolls she had completed translating. Ones that she had half finished would disappear and appear days later in some unexpected corner.

"Looking for something?"

She spun around to find Draco leaning on the doorframe with his usual trademark smirk firmly in place. Hermione laughed and got up to greet him with a kiss.

"Oh it's nothing, just looking for one of Schott's Scrolls that mentioned the Fourth. It seemed really insistent upon a location, but I just couldn't get to it." She sighed in frustration as she looked around the room.

"Too bad none of this ever came to anything. Just the ramblings of a madman."

"Oh I wouldn't say it came to nothing. It brought me to you for one thing."

She turned back to him and smiled. "That's true."

_And now my two best friends aren't talking _to_ me and everyone else is talking _about_ me._

Was it worth it?

Draco suddenly held Hermione tighter and gave her another one of his dizzying kisses.

Absolutely worth it.

"Potter and Weasley still aren't speaking to you?"

She shook her head sadly. Wanting to change the subject, Draco asked cheerfully. "So what do you plan on doing for your holidays?"

"Well, I'm going back to my parents' place tonight...and we'll see where it goes from there." She went back to the boxes and began tidying up the mess she'd made in rummaging through them.

"No you're not. You're coming home with me" Draco bent down to pick up a few stray Scrolls, throwing them haphazardly back into the boxes.

"You seem rather confident."

"It's all part of the charm."

"Haha" she laughed sarcastically.

"No I'm serious" he came up to her and fixed her with his intense gaze that still managed to make her breath catch in her throat.

"My parents will be abroad for a month and I want you to see Malfoy Manor. I want you to see it with me.

She stood, stunned at this offer. All this year, she had been curious as to where Draco had grown up. But was she ready to spend an entire month, alone, in his company?

"Please come with me" he asked with the perfect amount of hesitation and forcefulness in his voice.

Finally, she relented. "I'll ask my parents tonight."

Draco's smile was one of triumph.

The graduation ceremony was bittersweet, minus the sweetness, for Hermione. She was sorry to leave a place that she had grown to love along with her fellow students and professors. Tears were flowing freely from her eyes and down her face as she accepted the top award for her year and was met with a riotous applause. She turned to Harry and Ron and smiled at them. They clapped for her, but did not return the smile.

As promised, towards the end of the ceremony, both Hermione and Draco's names were called up for their 'Special Services to the School' awards for working on the ancient scrolls. As the two walked up there, Hermione was able to hear the mutterings of the students around them and chose to ignore it. When they both received their certificates and were left to stand to the side as the other awards were being presented, Hermione leant towards him and indicated the rest of the school.

"It's always going to be like this isn't it?"

He didn't answer her. She wasn't sure if he heard her or not.

Once the presentation was over, the parents were invited to have diner with their children. Hermione sat happily between her parents, but couldn't help looking over to the Slytherin table. Draco was there alone for his parents had not come to Hogwarts to attend the ceremony. She was confused at this, as Draco had never said that his parents weren't coming. And she didn't think that his parents would miss out on their only child's graduation ceremony.

They were nearing dessert when Hermione decided to break the news to her parents.

"So, do you remember about that boy that I wrote to you about? The one that I was working with?" she asked, slightly nervous.

"Yes honey", Mrs Granger replied. "Draco Malfoy right?"

"Yes. Well, um, he's invited me to stay over at his family's manor for a month this summer", she blurted the words out. Better to get it all out quickly, like ripping off a bandage.

Her parents stopped their actions and stared at their daughter.

"Hermione, are you dating this boy?"

"Um", she flushed. "Yes, I guess I am." These things were never comfortable to talk about. And the truth of the matter was, with all her years away at Hogwarts and belonging to a completely different world, Hermione had grown apart from her parents. She found it difficult to even talk to them about normal things.

"Oh Hermione. Isn't this the boy who gave you a lot of grief during your earlier years?"

Hermione took a deep breath and began to rattle off the arguments she had prepared for all afternoon.

As it was time for the parents to take their children home, Hermione noticed Draco wave to her from the Slytherin table. She understood his message and stayed put until he came over. She looked around her Gryffindor table. She saw Harry leave with the Weasleys and became slightly choked up. How was she ever going to make up for this? She was spared from her thoughts when Draco finally made his way over.

Hermione was apprehensive at how this meeting was to take place. She wasn't sure at how her parents would react to meeting her very first boyfriend, and how Draco was going to conduct himself in front of her Muggle parents.

Her fears were unfounded as Draco evidently turned his charm onto eleven and acted the part of caring boyfriend perfectly. Even Hermione raised her eyebrows in amusement as he showed an exquisite amount of decorum and flattery to the Grangers. He even managed to make them all laugh without the faintest trace of his previous haughtiness. Finally saying their goodbyes, Mrs Granger pulled her daughter aside and whispered in her ear

"I hope you have a wonderful time. Draco seems to be a lovely boy."

"Thanks Mum" Hermione blushed before getting a kiss goodbye from her father.

Watching them two leave, Draco reached out to hold Hermione's hand. She turned to smile at him and he pressed it firmly.

"So, we're done!"

"That we are", she answered.

"Shall we?" he led her to where their trunks were in the corner of the Entrance Room.

"We're not taking the train back?" Hermione asked confusedly.

Draco only replied with a condescending look.

"Only the best right?"

He led her outside where there was a horse and carriage waiting for them. Hermione gasped in wonder. The carriage was like something out of a fairytale. It was beautifully ornate and complete with horses and footmen. It was a rather pretentious mode of transportation, but Hermione didn't care. To say that she couldn't believe what was happening to her would be a large understatement. Her heart felt like it was going to burst from her happiness.

"We're going to be riding the whole way there?"

Draco smirked at her "No, flying there."

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	22. Chapter 22

She wasn't too sure what charms were used to power the flying, horseless carriage through the air, but Hermione didn't worry about that as she settled into the sumptuous cushions on the seat next to Draco. The interior was as spectacular as the outside, made up of expensive materials that despite its grandeur, made Hermione feel as if it all were a bit too fussy. However, she soon forgot all that as she made herself comfortable against Draco and watched the ground beneath her slowly disappear.

…………….

By the time they got to the Manor that night, they were both too tired to do much except get ready for bed. Hermione was feeling so sleepy and content – she had been dozing on Draco's shoulder for most of the way after the initial excitement of being in a flying carriage had worn off – that she didn't take much of her surroundings when she arrived.

She was dimly aware of her things being taken up to her room by a house-elf and being led up endless flights of dark stairs by Draco. Finally she was left alone with a quick kiss as Draco left for his room.

Hermione couldn't do much more besides collapsing onto the bed. It was late.

Hermione woke up stiffly with the sunlight in her eyes. She had not bothered to change or even take off her shoes the night before. Confused at first at where she was, Hermione soon began to take in her surroundings. She was on top of a soft white coverlet in a four poster bed. Looking up, as she let her eyes adjust to the bright light, she saw a soft white canopy. Sighing in utter contentment, Hermione looked around her room. It was absolutely huge, almost the size of her living room at home. With high ceilings that were brightly lit by the full length windows on her left, Hermione felt rather insignificant. Hermione yawned and stretched and got up to where her trunks were neatly placed in the corner. Directly in front of the foot of her bed was a couch set that surrounded a fireplace. Towards the side of this was a writing table and on the other a large, old fashioned wooden wardrobe. Walking around, Hermione explored her large bedroom. The furniture was absolutely exquisite that looked as if it dated back to the 17th century. She could only guess at what all of this worth. Hidden by the wallpaper was a door that opened up to a very modern looking bathroom that must've been magically adjoined, but hidden so as to keep that old-world elegance.

Hermione breathed in deeply and decided to get ready for the day.

It was still early after Hermione had taken a refreshing shower and dressed in some lighter clothes that she decided to open the doors and walk out onto the balcony. The view was amazing. With the sun freshly risen, the air was still a bit chilly, but what it showed was spectacular. The manor looked out onto a quaint and picturesque countryside. It was peaceful and natural, without a single inhabitant in sight.

Presently there was a knock on the door.

"Come in!"

The door opened, and Hermione was at a loss to who had opened it, until she looked down. There was a house-elf in front of her. Hermione bent down and smiled warmly at her.

"Miss Hermione, if and when you are ready, Master Draco has told me to take you down for breakfast." The house-elf did not look up at Hermione and instead stared down at her feet. Her 'clothes' consisted of a patchy tea-towel fashioned like a smock that while old, was clean. Hermione felt uncomfortable at addressing what was practically a slave, but figured she'd talk to Draco about it later.

"Thank you...um, what is your name?" she asked hesitantly.

The elf looked affronted, her wide eyes further widening in shock. It took her a while to stutter out an answer.

"My name is Tilly, miss."

"Thank you Tilly. Please, lead the way!"

Tilly happily turned away, seeming more at ease when following an order. Hermione followed her slowly. Outside was a wide and almost lifeless corridor that preceded another and another. The richly furnished walls all held portraits or landscapes from long times past. Here and there were undoubtedly priceless heirlooms and treasures in niches. The Manor was huge, she could understand that, and with it was a certain air of forbiddance, like she was not welcome here. Shaking off that somewhat disturbing feeling, she went down the wide staircase to what she assumed was one of the many dining rooms. Hermione sighed and felt herself growing apprehensive though as she neared the double doors to where breakfast was.

Her fears were banished however, when she entered the set table and saw Draco there. He smiled at her and wished her a good morning, standing up from his place and waiting until she sat down. Hermione giggled.

"What was that?" he asked smiling at her.

"Oh nothing, just the way you waited for me. Not many guys would do that."

"Force of habit I guess" he shrugged sheepishly.

Their breakfast was served by the house elves and Hermione again felt rather uncomfortable at the ceremony of it all and of being waited on. She guessed Draco could see her unease for he tried to keep her mind off it by talking normally.

"So what do you think of the place?" he sounded offhand, but Hermione could detect a hint of apprehension in his words, as if he sought her approval. But why would he need her approval of this magnificent house of all things? Their time together had given Hermione a knack for detecting Draco's feelings behind his words, but his intent remained as fuzzy to her as ever.

"It's...big" was all she could say. "If it weren't for Tilly, I'm sure I would never have gotten down here!"

"Who?"

"Tilly. One of your house elves!"

Draco shrugged and Hermione winced at his obvious lack of his concern for his house elves.

"Well, today, I'm going to give you a grand tour of this Manor. It should be fun!"

"You think it'll take all day?"

"Well with the odd meal thrown in so we don't die of famine as we get from the Guest wing to the main house, yeah, I reckon it might take the entire day."

She laughed a light and carefree laugh.

………..

Their day progressed perfectly. As Hermione followed Draco around the enormous Manor, she couldn't help containing her excitement and ended up skipping around the place, a sight that made Draco laugh. It was happy and sweet, full of the promise of their young love. Every so often, Draco would make Hermione squeal with delight as he pulled her into a dark corner and kiss her passionately. Hermione could not imagine wanting to be anywhere else, nor with anyone else. However, going around the Manor and seeing where Draco grew up and of all the family history here made Hermione feel something that while was not unpleasant, she couldn't entirely trust.

She forgot all about Harry and Ron. She didn't even wonder what they were doing at the moment and whether they missed her or even thought about where she was. For they didn't even know she was spending her time here at Draco's did they?

………………

After a picnic lunch outside in the grounds, Draco led Hermione back inside to the portrait gallery. Here, Malfoys of long past were forever imprinted in between gilt frames. Hermione felt uneasy beneath the eyes of Draco's ancestors as they muttered and stared at her with suspicious eyes. If it weren't for the wide windows, the curtains of which were thrown back to let he light in at regular intervals, it would've been very cold and foreboding indeed. She was glad that Draco was with her as she suppressed a shiver.

"And here is Great Uncle Albie. I think I met him once when I was three before he died" Draco said in a careless manner, throwing an even more careless hand towards a picture of an old and corpulent man with a large red face. Hermione briefly glanced at it as she ran to catch up with Draco who practically sauntered away.

Draco stopped in front of a portrait of a young woman wearing white. She had large, dark, liquid, almost doe-like eyes that looked pleadingly at the viewer. Her hair was painted in large, artful waves that were most certainly an exaggeration. Overall, Hermione thought she looked too innocent and somewhat stupid with that vapid look on her face.

"And this is my great grandmother. She died rather young, or so I'm told" Draco monotoned, somewhat uninterested already.

"Of what?" Hermione asked, shocked.

"That was never made clear to me. And when things like that happen in the Malfoy family, it's usually to cover some sordid tale. However – " his tone brightened "something here might be of interest of you. Look closer at the picture" he indicated towards the painting.

Hermione stepped forward for a closer inspection. Using the bright sunlight streaming in from the window, she noticed a familiar pendant hanging from her neck...

"That's mine!" Hermione cried, her hand unconsciously going towards the very same one at her throat.

"Yes it is."

Hermione was at a loss. She smiled brightly towards Draco, running to him and giving him a hug. However, the thought of owning a necklace that once belonged to a young and impressionable but now dead ancestor made her uneasy.


	23. Chapter 23

Their wanderings through the Manor that day took them well until dinner. And by that time, Hermione wasn't even sure if she'd even seen the whole place! It was clear to her that Draco took great pride in his household and wanted to impress her. Hermione glowed at the thought of his seeking her approval. It was such a sharp contrast to what he had been like before; haughty, cold and indifferent. But now he led Hermione around and eagerly watched her reactions. Of course Hermione could not help but be impressed by the finery and grandeur that surrounded her.

After dinner, they each said their goodnights, Draco leaving Hermione at the door to her room with a soft kiss on her forehead. It was a light and chaste kiss that conveyed that tomorrow was another day for just the two of them. He left her staring after him as he made his way to the main part of the house where his own room was. Hermione caught herself almost missing his presence as he rounded the corner and out of her sight. She wanted to be with him every moment. Shaking her head and laughing at how deeply she had fallen for Draco, Hermione headed back into her own room.

Hermione sat on the comfortable couch in front of her cheerily burning fire. She tucked her feet in beneath her and decided not to do much for the next hour or so before bed except stare into the fire and wonder about all the wonderful things that had happened in her life recently. Meeting Draco; falling in love with him; being loved and cared for in return...

Yet amidst all of these things, her seven year friendship with two of the closest people she had been with had just dissolved. Just like that. There was no climax to it, nor even an aftermath. She wondered why she hadn't fought harder, used her trademark stubborn tenacity to explain the situation, to make Ron and Harry understand that she was in love, that Draco was different now.

The truth was that she had been so swept up in the throes of her first love that the loss of her two best friends seemed inconsequential. She felt sick.

At that moment Hermione steeled herself to at least write to them. But at the thought of the two boys and the way they had treated her, anger flared up within her and her disgust at herself soon turned into disgust for them. She looked at the writing desk that was set in the corner by the window with contempt and decided to go to sleep instead.

She didn't need them and if they wouldn't bother to write her and bridge the gap that had arisen between them, then who was she to care? She was happy at the moment and she didn't want to ruin that by worrying about Harry and Ron.

What Hermione didn't realise until a lot later was that she had become deeply selfish and worst of all, completely deserted by her friends. All she had was Draco.

It was an absolutely gorgeous sunny day. The weather was perfect and Hermione could not feel happier. She tilted her head back and let the sunshine drench her body, breathing in the sweet fresh air. She was outside in the gardens of the Malfoy Manor, waiting for Draco.

"I missed you."

Arms came around her from behind and a soft kiss landed on her bare neck. Hermione giggled and turned around to face her husband.

"I've only been out here for a while!" she laughed at him before kissing him sweetly.

"Still" he breathed, pulling away from her for a moment.

"I'm so glad I married you" he said tenderly, stroking Hermione's cheek with his thumb while she closed her eyes and revelled at his touch, that after all these years, still caused her the same sensations as it did when they first got together.

"Me too" she whispered at him. Everything was so perfect as they were both ensconced in their own little world where nothing went wrong and every day was filled with happiness.

Then Hermione's dreams went dark.

She tossed and turned as a darkness in her dream state threatened to rise and engulf her. She was surrounded by nothing and she herself was nothing. All was lost, and all she knew was hopelessness and despair, feelings akin to that felt at the presence of a Dementor. Screams, pleading tortured screams filled the air around her that slowly permeated into her inner conscious. They were screaming inside her and she couldn't block it out. She had to get away, but how can you get away from your own body? Her mind was slowly unravelling, slowly deteriorating, until she was no more ...

It was a horrifying experience, made none the less so when she woke up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, the sheets tangled around her body, unable to remember a thing. The cold air hit her damp flesh uncomfortably and she struggled to get underneath the security of the comforter.

Hermione waited for the sun to rise as she tried to tell herself that it was just a dream. A disturbingly vivid dream that she hadn't had since...well, last Christmas to be honest. She didn't even want to think about the implications of that connection. She shuddered.

Hermione never discussed this dream of hers with Draco the next day, or even the day after that. Truly, she had forgotten most of it, both the happy and the frightening part soon afterwards. The next few days with Draco were perfectly magical as they explored the Manor and when they had had enough of its gloomy interior, they would set off outside in the gardens. And when they had tired of that, they would pack a picnic basket and take a day long walk out to the sprawling countryside. Picturesque fields surrounded the Manor, perfect for a ramble in the bright summer days. Every so often, they would come across a quaint little village that Hermione felt as if it were trapped in a time capsule, with its cottages of thatched roofs and whitewashed walls. When the sun got too hot, they would seek out shade amongst the tall grass in its various shades of yellow, green and brown. Laying out a picnic blanket, she and Draco would while away the time just talking. Talking about themselves, about the people they knew, about how they grew up, about how frustrating Schott's Scrolls were and how glad they were to be rid of them. But the one subject they steered well away from was that of the future.

In a sense, Hermione was glad of that. The present was too perfect to be marred by mentions of _if_ and _when. _But she was Hermione, stubborn and rational Hermione and she often thought of those things in the uneasy hours at night before sleep took over.

"When do your parents get back Draco?" Hermione asked in one of their lazy lulls in conversation. It wasn't anything premeditated, it was just something that popped out of her mouth as a product of her curious mind that had been wondering exactly what 'aborad' meant.

They were lying side by side on their picnic rug during one of their many cheerful jaunts into the fields. Hermione was often entranced into a dreamlike state when she was out here and even more so when she was enjoying the beautiful summer's day, entwined in Draco's arms.

Draco's chest rose underneath Hermione's head where she had laid it as he took a breath.

"They said they'd be gone for a month" he said lazily, his hand drawing circles on her back.

He took her moment of long silence to ask why she wanted to know.

"Well, I just don't think they'd be very happy when they came back to find that their son had been taking a – " she struggled and hesitated to say the word "a Muggleborn around their house" she finished in almost a whisper, shamed at having to voice this thought of hers out loud. "Because I'm assuming you haven't told them about us" she tried to finish bravely.

Draco was silent for a moment. "No, you're right, I haven't. But I don't want to worry about that." A pause. "Look at me Hermione." Hermione raised her head to look at him so that her chin was resting on his chest.

"This is our time together. I don't want anything to ruin it. I'm happy just being here in this moment with you. But when my parents come back, I do want them to know about us. It won't be pretty, because I already know what their reactions will be. But I won't care. Because if it means getting to spend the rest of my life with you, then that is my decision to make."

He lifted his fingers to stroke her face gently. Hermione didn't know what to say at that moment. She breathed out softly the first thing that appeared in her mind.

"I love you."

She didn't even have enough time to register what she'd said before Draco said "I love you" back.

………………………

As the afternoon wore on, they both drifted off into a light doze next to each other. It was getting dark when Hermione woke up blearily. It was just that moment when the sun had set, but the final rays of its light could still be seen over the horizon, providing a false sense of light when anything is possible. It was that in between time that belonged to neither day nor night. It was a truly magical time. Looking around, Hermione saw a bonfire nearby.

She rolled over and felt something harsh scratch against her face. Propping herself up, she looked at the harsh object in her hand. It was a piece of parchment. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Hermione used the failing light to study it. She gasped. It was a drawing. A drawing of her sleeping. Drawn with charcoal, it was a picture of herself sleeping peacefully and innocently, with her hair arrayed gracefully around her face. From what Hermione could tell about art, it was not the most perfect real life drawing in terms of technique, yet this tiny flaw was more than made up for by the grace of its lines and the detail and passion put into each and every line and shadow. Peering further into the parchment, Hermione saw a small inscription at the bottom.

"_A yearned for Beauty Untouched"_

She smiled warily and turned the parchment to see if anything was on the back. There was one word.

"… _yet."_

That cheeky bastard.

She found that cheeky bastard tending the fire.

"Isn't that some sort of fire hazard? Especially in all this dry grass?"

He smiled at her, a heart-stoppingly handsome smile. "For Muggles perhaps. And shouldn't you be proclaiming your wonder at my heretofore undisclosed artistic skills?"

"You know I never cease to be amazed at you Draco" she sat herself next to him and stared into the mesmerizing flames.

"Still, it'd be nice to hear some thanks every once in a while!"

"Thanks for that somewhat suggestive comment at the bottom."

Draco smirked "It was my pleasure."


	24. Chapter 24

It was another perfect day spent outside in the sunshine that seemed to shine only for and upon them.

That night after dinner, Hermione could not be happier and found herself reflecting upon how completely she had given herself over to Draco. She had fallen, well and truly. And she would not have it any other way. Everything was perfect.

They were in the large and grand study, in front of a fire, that while was not strictly needed, still provided a rather romantic atmosphere.

Smiling and so content that Hermione felt she might burst, Hermione perused the large shelves and read the spines of the books. They contained titles that she'd rather not think about, all indicative of its Dark contents. But not even that could've dampened her spirits.

Draco was at the table, writing a letter, or doing something else, Hermione wasn't too sure. But he has the most adorable look of intense concentration on his face that Hermione knew so well.

"What are you working on?" she asked curiously, making her way over to his table.

Draco looked up and hastily said, in a very rushed manner.

"Believe it or not, I'm working on one of Schott's scrolls! This blasted one seems to be using a different code and I can't work it out!" he looked faintly embarrassed and angry at himself.

"You're still working on those?" Hermione asked in disbelief. "Why?"

"My supreme love for Ancient Runes?" he asked charmingly, his sudden flustered look disappearing. He took her hand and gave her the Scroll to look at, puling her closer towards him.

Hermione surveyed it for a moment, her eyes scanning the document quickly. Then she went over to a side table and picked up a mirror. Holding the mirror up to the Scroll, she showed that it was the same code, only used in reverse.

"Wow is my face red," Draco said to himself as he took the scroll and mirror away from Hermione, who was having difficulty from laughing out loud. Draco still looked angry, but at the same time, an excitement seemed to fill his pale blue eyes. A sudden elation that Hermione supposed was due to finally breaking the last (and probably most useless) code.

Composing herself and her facial features, Hermione said in what she hoped was a steady and placating voice.

"No, I'm sure you would have got it eventually. Sometimes it takes a fresh pair of eyes to see what you've missed."

"Indeed." Draco turned back to her, now giving her his full attention.

"Isn't this like old times?" he asked mischievously, standing up.

"Schott's rabble, a roaring fire, a room all to ourselves" he finished off in a whisper close to her face as he took her body into her arms.

"A whole house to ourselves actually" Hermione whispered back playfully as she kissed him.

It was one of their many kisses, but for some reason, this felt different. Draco started to kiss her deeply and more passionately, his hands going up and down her sides and Hermione felt a sudden desire to have him touch her bare skin. Draco slowly, but carefully, backed Hermione up against the wall and she could feel her breaths becoming more and more ragged. She stopped and looked deeply into Draco's eyes. Was she ready?

"Draco," was all she said, but he seemed to immediately understand.

"Are you sure?" he asked carefully, not daring to tear his eyes away from hers.

Without so much as a hint of hesitation, she nodded. Draco kissed her again and took her hand into his, leading the way to his room.

After a night that Hermione wanted to retain in her memory forever, Hermione woke up alone. It was a perfect night as Draco was gentle and sure as he loved her. She fell asleep with him utterly content and in love with him, trusting him with everything she had in the world.

Hermione woke up blearily, unaware of her surroundings except to the faint scent of azaleas. The perfume of the azalea flower, Hermione always felt to be delectable, soft and subtle. Breathing fully in, with her eyes still closed, she let her other senses take in her situations. She could feel the softest silken sheets on her bare shoulders and heard the faint sounds of twittering birds outside the window. The air held a certain chill to it, causing Hermione to snuggle further into her feather doona. Finally opening her eyes, she beheld the grand interior of Draco's room, a wintry light casting slight shadows from the giant closet facing her bed. The whiteness of the room was accentuated with light that surely beheld an overcast day, but instead of feeling down, Hermione rejoiced. She had always loved overcast days; days where the light cast a surreal sheen to the world, making objects seem too sharp and out of the world. Magic indeed.

Feeling slightly confused as to her lack of clothes was also the lack of a bed partner. Where was Draco? She rolled over to where he had wrapped his arms around her the night before after their love making and beheld only empty, white sheets. Feeling hurt, she noticed a note pinned to the pillow.

_My beautiful Hermione,_

_Breakfast is outside the door._

_Meet me in the gardens when you're ready._

_I have a surprise waiting._

_Draco._

Hermione wasn't sure what to feel. Did lovers usually leave you to wake up alone after something as intimate as that? And with a note? Or was this another one of Draco's romantic actions that seemed ripped from her badly written Muggle romance novels? It was all a bit too surreal, a bit too perfect. Things like being swept off your feet by a handsome former arch enemy just did not happen in real life. Or was this an exception to the rule?

Struggling to find the light summer dress she had worn the night before, Hermione managed to pull it on and go to the door, finding pancakes and orange juice at the door. Smiling confusedly and quickly looking up and down the corridor to see who had placed it there so recently – for the pancakes felt as it they came straight out of the pan – Hermione saw no-one. Hermione ate the pancakes at the table that was outside on the wide balcony. It was not a sunny day, but Hermione enjoyed the expansive view of the fields just as much. A thin sheen of morning dew seemed to cover the countryside, giving it a strange sparkling look.

Hermione didn't feel different. She thought she would after having sex, but she didn't. True, she felt closer to Draco than ever, but that was only due to their physical interaction right? She wasn't sure. She needed to talk to Draco. What was he planning for her anyway?

Finishing her breakfast, Hermione stole her way into her room and had a shower, before getting dressed and meeting Draco outside. A little confused, but with excitement bubbling up inside her, Hermione nearly skipped out into the garden.

It took her a while to find him. He didn't exactly specify where in the gardens he was to meet her and it was a very large garden. She finally found him sitting underneath a large gazebo that dated back to the 18th century.

She came up behind him as he hadn't seen her arrive, with his back turned from her.

"Hey" she said softly.

He turned quickly, but Hermione could sense something was wrong. There was a hardness in his eyes that she hadn't seen before. He didn't smile and come to her as she expected he would.

"Hermione" he smirked as he took out his wand and pointed it at her.

The air suddenly went cold and Hermione felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her. This wasn't right. Something had terribly gone awry. This was too strange.

Hermione's eyes widened as it briefly wandered over to the wand and then snapped back to Draco's unfamiliar face.

"What's going on?" she asked falteringly, breathless with she wasn't sure what. Fear, disbelief, anger, rage; she was pretty sure it was all of that. But her scrambled mind had no time to register all that as it struggled to comprehend the situation before her. It was a ridiculous situation. The sweet and reformed lover pointing a wand at his beloved.

Betrayal.

That was it.

But Hermione didn't realise that until much later.

In reply, Draco only Stunned her. All Hermione knew was darkness. 

**A/N: What do you think?**


	25. Chapter 25

When Hermione woke up, what she saw made she wished she hadn't. It was dark and every part of her body seemed to hurt in some way. Just opening her eyes was painful, but she blinked a few times and let them adjust to the dimness. When they did, Hermione managed to extricate from her situation that she was sitting up and tied to her chair. She couldn't feel any ropes binding her there, so it must have been magic

When she could start to see better, she saw she was in a small room. It was cold and the walls seemed to have been made of worn, old stone. The air held a moist atmosphere as if she were surrounded by water outside. Hermione got the faint sense that she was deep underground.

Hermione's heart started to beat faster and faster as her breathing became irregular. She was starting to feel scared as the full implications of what had happened started to set in. Draco had cursed her. Why would he do that? Was it even really him? No, it couldn't be. It must've be some trick of Voldemort's. The Draco that Stunned her was completely different to the Draco that she loved.

Even when tied up in a dark, lifeless cell did Hermione still believe that this was all some huge mistake. That Draco would never do this to her. She held onto that false hope.

Forcing herself to take deep and steadying breaths, Hermione started to hear something on her left. There was someone outside the door.

The door opened, letting in light that blinded Hermione sufficiently enough before she could shut them properly. When the spots from her eyes disappeared, she managed to make out that someone had entered the room and had stayed there as the door shut.

That certain someone pulled a stool in front of Hermione and sat down so that he was level with her.

It was Draco.

They stared at each other for what seemed like hours. He looked at her pitilessly with a sneer on his lips. She looked back helplessly, a wordless plea for an explanation in her eyes.

She finally managed to find her voice. "Why?" was all she could get out in a whisper. She was deadly afraid of the answer. Some part of her didn't want to believe what was happening, but remorselessly, the truth started to slowly sink in.

Draco just smirked at her and cocked his head at her to study her.

"Why what sweetheart?" he said in a sickeningly sweet voice that wouldn't have seemed out of place only a few hours ago.

Hermione wanted to glare at him, but found that she didn't have the heart to do it. She was still too raw at the shock of this betrayal.

For that was what she finally realized it was.

Draco seemed to spare her this once and sighed.

"Why this happened I guess? Oh Hermione, because it was so easy, that's why."

He still sat, studying her every reaction intently. Hermione's vision was already blurred with tears, but she sniffed them away, desperate to hear an explanation for all of this. Anything.

"I have to say though. It was a lot easier than I had expected. You seemed so pliable, so easily manipulated. It was almost pathetic how fast you fell for me."

The words were like knives, driving themselves deeper and deeper into Hermione's soul. She began to sob uncontrollably, no matter how hard she fought. Her resolve was crumbling before her.

"Did you really think I loved you? Did you really believe that something like you could have wrought such a remarkable change in the cold and haughty Draco Malfoy into someone sweet and caring? And it never once occurred to you that it was too good to be true?" Draco's voice hid a cruel taunt in it, almost jeering at her.

It was too much for Hermoine as she cried freely now, repeating her vulnerable plea.

"Why?"

"Because I was ordered to. At first, it was only to befriend you, to get you to help on Schott's Scrolls that didn't turn out to be so useless after all. I found something, something that seemed of interest to the Dark Lord."

Hermione's mind scrambled to follow this, as her brow knotted in confusion and frustration.

"What did you find?"

"Ah, I can't tell you that now can I? But I made sure that you never got any nearer to it. You never wondered why Scrolls kept on disappearing?"

Hermione thought back. Then she remembered. There were numerous hints among Schott's works that pertained to this mysterious entity he labelled 'the Fourth'. But they never got any more from it. At least she didn't. And that was around the time that the scrolls started to disappear from her, only to reappear in unexpected places later. But during then, she didn't pay it too much heed. There were too many other things going on in her life. It was around then that she was falling for Draco.

"But we cracked his Key. You didn't need me anymore after that. Why did you ..."

"Go to such lengths to make you fall in love with me?" he interrupted cruelly.

"I can't pretend that I was happy when I received the order from my superiors, I'll tell you that. Having to spend another moment with you, pretending to be all hurt and sweet and vulnerable. You see, I noticed that you seem to love the idea of feeling for someone you believed to be mistreated. And when I wove that story of how poor, sweet Draco was getting abused by his father...well, it was all pretty downhill from there wasn't it? I guess that pendant that I gave you helped with that too. The dreams that you had about me while wearing that was the product of a simple charm. But as time went on, it began to amuse me, seeing how god damn easy it all was. Although, there were some moments when I thought my cover was blown. That blasted house-elf for instance. The one that delivered your dress? I had to quickly Charm him before he got away and told you what I was up to. It was a close call that. But in the end, all I had to do were little things and you'd be like putty in my hands."

He twisted the knives and sunk them deeper into her, mercilessly, cruelly. It was obvious he was enjoying the effect he was having on his victim. Hermione nearly winced as if she were in physical pain. Her head started to spin and she felt nauseated. She couldn't take much more of this as her breathing became difficult – the air was too thick ... but he continued venomously.

"And the bigger things, well that was just to make sure. 'Do whatever you can' were my orders. 'Do whatever you can to separate her from Potter and Weasley.' And it worked so well. Having them catch us 'accidentally' outside when we were working by the Lake."

Hermione's brain wasn't functioning properly. A recollection of that fateful day popped up in her mind and she remembered how uneasy she felt at being seen with Draco in such an open area. But the main part of herself was pre-occupied with listening to Draco's words, no matter how much she reviled them. And the rest of her was numb with shock. At last she managed to register something.

"Harry and Ron? What have they got to do with all this?"

"Oh sweetheart. It's easier to take down an enemy when you've removed one of his most powerful allies." He stood up and placed the stool back in the corner, about to leave. But before he did, he came up close to Hermione and bent down towards her, his mouth brushing her ear. "And it's a lot easier when one of his most powerful allies begins to work against him from the inside."

Hermione's insides went cold with fear. Draco stroked her cheek tenderly with his forefinger. It used to cause sensations of being loved and wanted, but now the contact repulsed Hermione and she shuddered away from it.

"Now, I'm going to be nice and undo these magical bonds. But you must promise me you won't do something stupid Hermione, or else I will have no hesitation in binding you again."

Hermione weakly assented. There was not much she could do as she was too shocked and weary at what she had heard. There was nothing left of her. The world before her dissolved into ash. All that was left was an empty shell. She made her way over to the pathetic cot in the corner and crept up onto it, hugging her knees in the foetal position.

As he stood to leave, Hermione gathered up her last reserve of courage and self worth that had been slowly crumbling up against the insidious and cruel assault of Draco's words.

"And last night? What was that for?"

Draco had already walked to the door and had his wand pointed at it to open. He span around as he spoke to her, his eyes boring into her intently.

"Oh that? That wasn't ordered. That was just for me. You've just earned me fifty Galleons. It would have been a hundred more as I was so sure that redecorating our workroom on the night of the Ball would do the trick."

He left her in the dark as he shut the door with a resounding thud.

Hermione felt like she was going to be sick. She started to weep uncontrollably as every part of her was crushed. She had given him everything, only to be played mercilessly by a cold hearted bastard. But some of what he has said was true. Hermione hated to admit now that she had fallen way too easily and while she had her doubts and worries over whether this was for real or not, she still followed her heart, no matter how badly that had betrayed too.

Hermione didn't know what to do. Her feelings were a torrential rage within her. She had abandoned her friends and now she was captured by her very worst enemy, about to aid him, while unknowingly already have done so.

How were they going to make her do what they wanted? She would never betray her friends. Never ever. They were the only ones she had left. She would rather die first. Even if they tortured her with the Cruciatus curse of threatened her with Avada Kedavra. She'd never do it. But her mind began to frantically wonder. What if they administered Veritaserum on her? Or put her under the Imperius curse? Where was her wand? Then Hermione remembered. She had foolishly left it at her room in the Malfoy Manor. She had never thought to take it with her to meet Draco in the garden.

She cried and cried herself to sleep, completely broken and shattered to pieces.

**Review me!**

** Author ****thanks to an anonymous reviewer - **

Dracoismybabydaddy - **THANKS BABE!! **Hahaha, no really, that means a lot. That is an incredibly kind thing to say :)


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: This is the last chapter folks! It's been fun writing this and thankyou to anyone who has read this! You're all wonderful!**

The days dragged on endlessly, torturously, relentlessly. Years afterward, as Hermione struggled to remember exactly what had happened in those ensuing months, she found it difficult to separate reality from the delusions of her shattered mind. But during that time, she had held onto one thing, the one thing that had got her through her time as a captive – her friends. Despite the dark fact that she practically renounced them, she still held onto the strong belief that they would never abandon her.

And they never did.

Her two best friends stood as a symbol of her life in the outside world. A life that she hoped still existed. She had no idea how the war was going, whether the Order were winning or even surviving or not. With no news of the outside world or even of Voldemort's operations, she never found out exactly what in Schott's Scrolls turned out to be of interest. However, she understood that it was in their plan to break her and use her as a spy, or even worse, as an assassin. And that Draco's cruelness towards her was just a game.

But still she hoped that this would all soon end. A small beacon that nothing that was put to her, managed to extinguish.

Draco Malfoy, as accomplished and skilled as he was at deceiving and manipulating others, could not understand or at the very least, underestimated the strength of friendship. Never having the privilege of such a wondrous thing deprived him of its power. And so his greatest downfall at attempting to break Hermione Granger was the two boys that he had loathed so much at school. For Ron Weasley and Harry Potter had everything that he didn't and he envied them; shunning any personal relations and preferring the power that the Dark Lord offered him.

Using a myriad of wizarding spells didn't work on Hermione. She would cry, sob and scream, but not once did she succumb under their will. She would not let herself be brainwashed. Managing even to resist the Imperius Curse, she never broke. When that failed, more medieval methods of forced programming were used, such as the Cruciatus Curse and some Muggle forms of torture. But Hermione held on. She knew her friends would come for her one day and that if she were to die here, at least she would not betray them.

Every monotonous day worked to slowly deprive Hermione's senses of external stimuli as she was kept in her dark cell. Those times were punctured of intervals of pain and misery. And monstrously, just as Hermione managed to snatch a few moment of sleep, someone would come barging in, usually drunk and overpower her. These times would end with her shivering and shaking with disgust and all dignity gone.

But the day finally came.

Hermione realised that that day was conspicuous as she wasn't disturbed for a good twelve hours. Half starved and almost mad, Hermione scrabbled to her door and pressed her ear against it, hoping against hope. Then she heard it. Panicked yells, faint at first, a great many floors above her head. Then the sounds became louder and louder. She heard explosions. She pressed her ear harder against the door, listening greedily. An hour or so had past and still Hermione sat against the door on the dirty, cold floor, listening to the battle that was raging upstairs. Suddenly, an explosion sounded nearby and Hermione's heart nearly failed her from excitement.

She was found.

She began yelling and screaming, banging on her door with her scratched and bloody fists.

_I'm in here! Please help me! Get me outta here! I'm here!_

She was pretty sure she had said it out loud and that she hadn't imagined it in her head. It had been a long time since she had had any confirmation otherwise.

It appeared that her pleas were heard when she heard a voice directly on the other side of her door ordering her to stand back. The door was blasted off its hinges and there stood in the settling dust, the two people that she had thought about the most. She almost couldn't believe her eyes and ran into their arms, fearing that this was just another enchantment in order to break her mind. But it was real. She could feel their bodies pressed against theirs and their astonished voices. They thought she was dead, they said. This was a miracle, the other said. They hugged her harder and Hermione held onto them as tightly as she could, not wanting to let them go. She feared that if she did, they would disappear in a puff of cruel smoke and she would wake up grasping for non-existent figures in the dark. But soon reality came back to her. They had to get her out of here quickly, so they led her up the stairs and the scene that assaulted Hermione's eyes was almost too much to bear. After months of not seeing anything or anybody other than her cell and her captors, even the mere colours of the outside world overstimulated her starved eyes.

They hurried her past the fallen bodies, the caved in walls and the swirling dust. Hermione could only manage to stay conscious as her two rescuers held one arm each and fired jinxes and curses rapidly at any that came into their way. Everything was too real, too much, too loud for Hermione and she squinted her eyes and tried to block out the sounds. It was then that when they were attacked, she was the last to react. Feeling herself thrown roughly on the ground and told to stay behind them, Hermione was confused, but soon heard and saw the enemy in front of them. Pushing herself up, she crept against the corner and hid behind a heinous marble statue. She watched as her friends struggled to fend off the Death Eaters, as they were horribly outnumbered. Hermione felt more vulnerable than ever as she sat in the middle of a battle without a wand.

But as if her unsaid prayers were answered, a wand clanked near her, rolling towards where she had hidden. She looked at it for a moment, confused as to where it could have come from. Then she looked towards where the fight was taking place and saw that one of the Death Eaters had been disarmed. Seizing her opportunity quickly, Hermione lunged for it and Stunned the witch who stumbled towards her for the wand. She joined her friends in the battle, ferociously Stunning those who had put her through hell all those months without much regard for herself. Her two friends were busy against the others when she beheld a familiar figure in the midst. Yelling a charm, Hermione unmasked that person to find someone whom she had dearly loved to face with a wand for many months. It was Draco. Time seemed to slow down. He saw her with her wand pointed towards him. She slowly walked over to him. As he opened his mouth to curse her with a horrible smirk, Hermione got in there first and cursed him. She watched him fall, not yet dead, with little emotion in her eyes. Hermione had been waiting and nearly fantasizing madly about this opportunity for many months. Along with the thought of seeing her friends again, the idea of taking revenge upon the bastard who had broken her heart, her soul, her everything, kept her sane. There was no way she was going to stand back and let others do the job for her. A fierce anger was burning through her, yet she remained as calm and as cold as ice. She was going to do this. She was going to kill him. There wasn't any time or moment to think about what was right or wrong. Hermione needed a resolution to this. Even afterwards, as Hermione recounted the events, she felt little guilt over the matter. There was no conflict.

She slowly walked over to him, wanting him to know what she was going to do. She wanted to see the fear in his eyes as his life was about to end. She saw his pale face on the ground, wincing in pain, but still managing to look superior to the person above him who had a wand pointed towards his heart.

"Now you're not really going to – "

"_Avada Kedavra!"_

She gave his lifeless body a brief glimpse before getting back into the fray and helping out her friends.

This was the end. She never looked back at him. Hermione faced forward and fought the battle that was ahead of her.

**A/N: What do you think? When I first started to write this, I had the whole story pretty much planned out and always promised myself that it would end here. So this is it. Thank you all for reading!!**


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